Ninjago: Return to the Dark Island
by SandNinja GS
Summary: 3 and a half weeks after Jay and Nya's engagement, Geoff, Misako and Ronin go missing while investigating a lead on missing fishermen, connected to the Dark Island.
1. Missing Fishermen

**(A/N: Okay, I thought I might put this up early because I want to do Day of the Departed at the end of October. Just to let you know, this story is based off the 'Dark Island Trilogy', and not an original. Apparently, it is hard to find and read the books, but I got lucky at my public's library)**

* * *

_"It has been three days since two fishermen went missing on separate occasions."_ A radio presenter said. _"So far, the Ninjago police have no leads on the missing men. With me now is Stacey Shawnson, wife of missing fisherman Kelly Shawnson."_

_"I just want my Kelp back."_ A woman said. _"I'm due in a month's time and it'll be his first kid. So, whoever hears this and knows where he is, please find him. For me, and for our future son."_

_"Thank you for your encouraging words, Mrs Shawnson. We will continue this story after sport and weather."_

* * *

At a dock, Misako is looking at a small boat before turning to a wooden ship as Dragon came up to her. "Have you found a suitable boat?" He asked.

"This one will do." Misako replied, pointing to the ship.

"We'll set out tomorrow. I need to meditate because of a great darkness I feel."

"There's always something for you to fight. And life is too short."

"You're right. But still, wait for me."

Misako laughs. "It will only be a few days."

"At least take Ronin and Geoff with you."

"Okay then."

* * *

The following morning, Ronin, with a cigarette in his mouth, and Misako were preparing some gear as Geoff soon came up to them. "Sorry I'm late." He said as he came up to them. They look to see he was carrying a tackle box, a rucksack and wearing a beige bucket hat, brown vest, yellow flannel shirt, blue jeans and black gum boots. "Oh, about this, well, I thought I'd be discreet."

"You should find a role in playing a fisherman." Ronin replied, sarcastically as he took a puff.

"I ought to see you have glass in the ass, you cancer stick inhaler. Come on, let's just get going." Geoff opens the tackle box and got out a Remington RM380. He gets the magazine out, pulls back the slide to check inside the barrel before putting the clip back in and pulls the slide back as Misako looked on. "Just in case." He soon puts the pistol back in the tackle box and closes it before they head onto the boat. "I haven't been to Dark Island ever since Ronin abandoned me and you, the Ninja and Master Wu rescued me."

"I said I was sorry." Ronin replied as the boat took off. "Client offered me double to abandon you."

* * *

A couple of days later, the boat was moving along, having completed its task as Misako was getting bored. "Going to the Dark Island was a mistake." She said. "Can't this boat go any faster?"

"We're going as fast as we can." Geoff replied as he and Ronin straighten some sails.

"The Endless Sea isn't exactly gentle on the sails." Ronin said. "Remind me again how you got us into this mess."

"It was only a couple of fishermen." Misako replied. "I told Dragon I could investigate on my own. He needed to stay on Ninjago Island, but insisted I not go alone. I could never have guessed what we would discover when we got to Dark Island. We must warn Dragon and the Ninja, and quickly!"

"Well, I have been on the island for 10 months because of a certain money grubber." Geoff said.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Ronin asked. "I said I was sorry. Well, that's what I get for thinking with my wallet. Had I known how much trouble we were sailing into, I would have charged more. A lot more."

Geoff sighed and looked at the starboard side. "Uh, Misako? We might have a problem..." Ronin looks on as well.

"A big scary problem from the looks of it."

"I'll try to steer us to safety!" Misako yelled as she turned the helm. "Hold on!"

"I think it's too late!"

"Attack!" Someone on the opposing ship yelled, firing cannonballs, which hit the ship.

"We're hit!" Geoff yelled.

"And we have more incoming!" Ronin yelled as the ship moves close. "They're going to board us!"

"Ronin, hold the ship." Misako replied. "I must do something if we have any chance..." She soon runs down the deck as Ronin grabs the helm and Geoff got out his pistol from the tackle box. "Oh, Dragon. Forgive me for not telling you-"

* * *

Two days later, at Steep Wisdom, Dragon was meditating, remembering all the enemies he and the Ninja previously fought. Samukai, Pythor, Cryptor, Chen and his very first student, Morro, who possessed Lloyd and Blake as well as his brother, Oni Garmadon. Knocking was soon heard as Dragon stood up and went to the door, revealing Gewuji, in a new ninja gi. "Master, you must come quickly!" She yelled.

"How long has it been?" Dragon asked as they ran down the shore.

"You have been meditating for days. When I awoke this morning, I saw it. And I knew I had to summon you."

"It? What is it that you saw?"

"Misako and Geoff's boat. They left a week ago. And today their boat returned...without them."

They come up to the remains of the boat as Dragon was shocked. The boat was missing it's sails, part of helm and parts of the railing were gone. "Oh, Misako...! Should never have let you go."

"I found this, under the compass." She holds out a note.

Dragon takes it and starts reading it. _"Dragon, I know you will find this letter..."_Misako's voice was heard. _"...Our ship is under attack by pirates. I have little time, but I must warn you about Dark Island... Please, whatever you do, stay away from this place! It is worse than you can imagine."_

Dragon sheds a tear and it falls on the note before he crunched it. "I have always done as you asked, Misako." He said. "But not this time. I will try to help."

"Then we're gonna need help." Gewuji replied. "I'm coming too. For my brother."

* * *

At a studio in Ninjago, Cole, wearing a white nightshirt, was waiting as an actress, in a black bikini was also waiting. "And, action!" A director called out.

The actress soon runs away, screaming as she picked up a nearby bucket of water as Cole, on a zip line, chases after her before she stopped and turned, holding the bucket as Cole stopped and opened his mouth, but says nothing. "Crap." He said before turning to a nearby stage handler. "What was my line?"

"Cut!" The actress grabs a robe from another stage handler before they help Cole down and the director came up to him. "Cole, we're almost done with your scenes. After that, it'll be the stunt double, so you won't have to get wet."

"Sorry, I've been up all night, helping Jay prepare for his wedding."

Another stage handler soon came up to them. "Phone call for Cole Smith." He said.

"What is it now?" Cole heads over to him and answers the phone. "Hello?"

* * *

In a movie theatre, Jay and Nya, both in their civilian clothes, walk out as Nya cries a bit and Jay gives her a handkerchief. "Such a sad ending." She said, rubbing her eyes with it.

"I know." Jay replied. "But don't you agree that Geoff did good acting?"

"Yeah." Jay's phone soon beeped and they look at it. "Looks like we're needed."

* * *

At the bank, some samurais exit it as alarms go off and they get in a nearby car with someone behind the wheel. "Alright, we got the cash." One of them said as they got in. "Let's go!"

The driver steps on the accelerator and the car drives away as Zane, Blake and Maggie, all in new Ninja gis, land atop a rooftop far from the bank. "Time for your friendly neighbourhood Ninjas." Blake said as they put their hoods on and Zane uses his Ice power, making a slide before they get on and Blake was behind to use his Wind power as a booster as they all slide down and Zane kept on making the slide to catch up with the car.

One of the robbers removed his samurai helmet before looking out the back window to see Zane, Maggie and Blake pursuing them on Zane's makeshift slide. "Aww, shit!" He yelled. "It's the Titanium, Silver and Tan Ninjas!"

"Lose 'em!" One of them yelled as the driver soon drove the car faster and some police cars pursue them as Zane, Blake and Maggie were still behind them.

"This is Cornelius V. Proctor, in hot pursuit of a white vehicle that has just robbed the bank and is currently on the run." He said into his radio before chuckling. The driver drives along the road before making a turn into an alleyway, causing all the police cars to crash into a nearby building wall while Zane, Maggie and Blake continue on. "They done scuffed my vehicle!"

The car soon stopped in the alleyway as the men look on. "So, where is this contact of yours?" One of the men asked. Window tapping was soon heard as they look to see Zane on the left, Blake on the right and Maggie was in front of Blake before hearing the sound of a gun's hammer being pulled back and they see the driver, aiming a Beretta PX4 Storm at them before he takes off his beanie, revealing blonde hair. It was Lloyd.

"They're right there." He replied.

Seconds later, the recovered police officers place the captured bank robbers into the back of their police car as Lloyd, Zane, Blake and Maggie look on. "I'm gonna cuff ya and stuff ya, you dipstick!" Cornelius yelled at one of the robbers. "Making me scuff my own vehicle!"

Beeping was soon heard as Zane widened his eyes. Inside his head, P.I.X.A.L. brings up a window. "It appears we are to regroup at the Samurai X cave." She said.

"Understood." Zane replied.

* * *

At a nearby book store, girls were lined up as Kai, in his civilian clothes, was signing copies of his book 'A Titanium's Ghostly Friend' as he soon signed the last book. "Okay, that was the last book, thank you." He said. Some of the girls groan as they walk away before Kai's communicator beeps and he looks at it.


	2. Away We Go

In the Samurai X Cave, Kai and Jay, both in new ninja gis with Jay having a brace on his right arm, were sparring with katanas while Lloyd, Cole, Nya, Maggie, Gewuji, Blake, Zane and Dragon were talking about Misako, Ronin and Geoff's disappearance. Lloyd, Cole and Nya were all also in new ninja gis. "Dark Island will almost certainly try to separate us." Dragon said. "We must stay together once we arrive. We are strongest as a team."

"No worries." Blake replied. "We can use the communicators I built while we were searching for Pythor."

"Oh, great, I love those things!" Jay replied, jumping to avoid Kai's strike before they clash blades.

"You and your gadgets." Kai said. "What matters is who strikes the fastest and hardest." He soon held his sword high to strike, but Jay blocks it.

"As I recall, Blake's 'gadgets' have saved your hide a time or two... or four times... or six times."

"Guys, knock it off." Cole said. "This is serious."

Kai and Jay soon raise their swords, but they suddenly flew out of their hands as Blake used his Wind powers to blow them over to him and he catches them. "No training in my cave!" He yelled, putting the swords away.

"My mother is missing!" Lloyd yelled. "If you can't focus on the mission, then we'll go without you."

"Take it easy, Lloyd." Nya replied, coming to her brother and fiancé's defence. "We all want to find Misako."

"And my brother." Gewuji said, placing her hands on her boyfriend's.

"Anger and fear will cloud our judgement." Dragon explained. "Our enemies want us in such a fog."

"I have completed my analysis of Misako's boat." Zane said. "The damage was indeed done by cannon fire."

"Who the hell would use cannons anymore?" Maggie asked. "Weird."

"Well, we'd better grab all the weapons and equipment we can carry." Kai replied before turning to Cole. "Uh...sorry, Cole. You don't have to help."

"I am helping." Cole said, carrying a book. "I may be a ghost, but if I focus hard enough, I can still become solid."

"Maybe it's more ghosts?" Kai soon looked into a box of weapons. "Which would be dumb because, you know, the whole sea is filled with water."

"Ghosts don't fire cannons." Lloyd pointed out.

"Let's leave the ghost stories for the Day of the Departed and track these creeps down. When are we leaving?"

"Ready the ship for departure." Dragon said. "We sail as soon as I collect something important from Hiroshi's Labyrinth. Blake, I need your help."

"Of course." Blake replied as he and Dragon come up to a nearby bike as Blake gets on the front and starts it while Dragon sits behind him and Blake turned the bike before speeding off, out the entrance.

"Yee-ha!" Blake soon pressed his horn which was the Dixie horn sound.

"Why would they go to Hiroshi's Labyrinth now?" Lloyd asked. They just shrug.

* * *

The following morning, everyone was preparing the Destiny's Bounty as the Ninja carry some stuff on board. "Left!" Gewuji yelled to Zane as she and Zane carry a box. Zane moved to his right, almost going over the gangplank. "No, your other left!"

"Can somebody give me a hand here?" Jay asked, carrying four boxes.

"Mine are full." Kai replied, carrying a tent.

"Don't look at me." Maggie said. "I'm handling the metallic stuff."

"You don't even know what 'pack light' means, do you, Jay?" Nya asked her fiancé.

"Why would Jay be required to pack a source of illumination?" Zane asked, not understanding the term.

"She meant pack less things, Zane." Gewuji replied as she goes to help Jay.

An engine is heard as they see Blake's bike, with Blake and Dragon coming up to them. They got off as Blake pushes his bike onto the ship and Dragon is carrying something. "What's in that thing?" Kai asked.

"Tea, I guess." Jay replied. "But who brings tea on a rescue mission?"

* * *

Several minutes later, Zane turned to Nya as everyone looked on. "Everything is ready for departure." He said.

"Dark Island, here we come." Nya said. "Cast off the lines!"

"Aye-aye, Captain." Jay replied as he takes off the rope holding the Bounty and it flies off.

"What do you think we'll find there, Uncle?" Lloyd asked.

"I do not know, Lloyd, but there is an old saying, 'The question is not what you may find in the dark, the question is what may find you'." Dragon replied.

Lloyd soon looked on. "Hang on, mom. I'm coming."

* * *

Several minutes later, Gewuji looks at a map as Dragon came up to her. "Be careful not to drop that. That is the only map we have of Dark Island."

"I know." Gewuji said. "Master, I don't get why Geoff had to go as well."

"Because he knows the island all too well. That was how I met him. He had very big beard too." He chuckled.

"Well, I told him a beard isn't his style."

Dragon soon sighed. "Go get the others, we need to tell them about the note."

"Yes, Master." Gewuji walks away.

* * *

A minute later, the Ninja soon came up to Dragon as Gewuji came up next to him. "We wanted to share with you the note Misako hid and Gewuji found it." Dragon said.

"It was a warning. Pirates attacked, but Misako hints there is something much worse waiting for us."

"Pirates?" Jay whispered to Nya. "Do you think it's Misfortune's Keep?!"

"Shh!" Nya replied, also whispering. "No one remembers about that except us!"

"What are you two whispering about?" Kai asked them.

"Nothing." Jay replied, lying. "Nothing at all."

"Jay's right." Nya also lied. "Big zero nothing to see here."

"Right." Kai sarcastically replied.

"If I could have your attention, Ninja." Dragon called out. "I have no idea what role these pirates play in the events at Dark Island, but I intend to ask them myself...and soon."

"Guys, we have a problem!" Cole yelled, pointing out to a storm which had suddenly appeared and started raining over them. Surprisingly, the rain doesn't affect Cole as Nya ran to the helm.

"Was that there a minute ago?" Jay asked.

"No, it wasn't." Blake replied.

"Wow, instant storm, just add water." Cole said.

"Purple lightning?" Nya asked. "That storm can't be natural. And the hurricane winds are too big and too close!" Nya tries to turn the helm. "I can't steer away! We're being pulled in!"

Lloyd soon sees a big gust of wind coming. "Hang on, everybody!" He yelled. "We're gonna hit-"

The wind hits them, causing everyone, except Dragon to fall out. Gewuji manages to straighten herself and sees Lloyd as he soon did Airjitzu. "Lloyd!" She yelled before doing Airjitzu herself to reach him.

"Gewuji!" Lloyd called out, seeing his girlfriend before preparing to move to her. But as they were about to grab each other, a gust of wind sends them both flying further away. "NO! GEWUJI!"

"LLOYD!"

* * *

Close by, Jay was doing Airjitzu before noticing Nya. "Airjitzu this way, Nya!" Jay yelled to his fiancée. "Where are the others?"

"I can't see anyone except Master Wu!" Nya replied as she did Airjitzu. "He's still on the ship!"

"I will not surrender." Dragon said as he held onto the helm. "Getting to Dark Island is my destiny, and I will achieve it, storm, so do your worst!"

Jay and Nya see the Bounty flying away as they were still doing Airjitzu. "Master! No!"

The winds soon get even worse as they hit Nya, separating her from her groom-to-be. "NYA!" Jay yelled. A gust of wind soon hits him.


	3. Marooned and Separated

**(A/N: I am starting to hate deviantART since it appears different. If it continues, I'm leaving it for good)**

* * *

Someone opens their eyes and exhaled some air before getting up. It was Kai as he sat up. "What hit me?" He asked himself. "One minute, I was flying through the clouds, and the next... sand all around. Must be on a beach." He soon looked ahead. "Or not." He was in the middle of what looked like a desert. "Kai, old buddy, you should have packed a water bottle."

"Kai!" Someone called out as he soon got up and looked through the blazing heat to see someone running up to him, waving his arm. "Kai!"

"Blake?"

The silhouette turned out to be Blake as he soon came up to Kai and started to catch his breath. "Thank the First Spinjitzu Master that I found you."

"What happened? Where is everyone else?"

"I don't know. I woke up further back and then I thought I saw you, sitting in the sand."

"Well, if we're gonna find the others, we better start walking." Kai immediately stood up and they start walking in the direction that Blake took.

* * *

In another part of the island, Dragon stands up and looks around. It was the jungle section. "I am in one piece, and all my limbs all seem to be working...my day is already full of surprises." He said as he looked up to see the Bounty. "Ah, there you are, old friend...and somewhat the worse for wear. I believe-"

"RUN!" Dragon heard Lloyd's voice and he turned to see his nephew and Maggie run up to him, in fear.

"Maggie, Lloyd, you're okay. Have you seen the others?" Lloyd grabs Dragon's arm as they run. "Also, what are we running from?"

"Less talking, more running!" Maggie yelled.

Dragon hears growling as he saw some gorillas, emitting strange energy as they chase after them. "What did you two do to upset them?"

"All we did was take some bananas from a tree." Lloyd said as they kept running. "How the hell were we supposed to know they belonged to them?"

"We are strangers in a strange land. Assume that everything is dangerous."

"Now you tell us." He sarcastically spoke

"Have you guys tried to apologize?"

"I don't think they're in the mood." Maggie said as they feel the sand go soft.

"Hey, why is the ground suddenly all squishy and soft-?!" Lloyd asked before they all fall and find themselves half buried in quicksand.

"It seems Dark Island has quicksand." Dragon replied as the gorillas look on.

"Great. Either the gorillas or the sand are going to eat us. Which is worse?"

The gorillas look on and growl before walking away as they keep sinking. "It seems gorillas know our fate is sealed. They are leaving. Lucky for us."

"How is that lucky?" Maggie asked.

"It is written that quicksand is like life itself... Sometimes all one needs is a hand to hold." Dragon grabs their hands, which were all caked in quicksand. "And some Airjitzu!" Dragon does Airjitzu, freeing them all out. They were covered in wet sand as they soon land and look at each other.

* * *

Several minutes later, they come across the Bounty. "Okay, so the Bounty had a worse landing than Maggie and I did." Lloyd said. "What do we do now?"

"How appealing is being stranded here for the rest of your life? Almost felt like it for Geoff."

"I'd rather eat Kai's cooking every night." Maggie said.

"Then let us get to work." They spend the next three days chopping wood with axes that they found in Geoff's old campsite or doing karate chops, used tree sap as glue once it was boiled, fixed the sails with needles and thread, made from vines and they do their best to get the ship into the river.

* * *

On the day they did, their clothes were now clean as they look around. "It won't fly, but it will float." Lloyd said.

"Then floating will have to be enough. There is a great evil on this island... Perhaps greater than anything we have encountered. It must be rooted out and destroyed."

"Which we'll do as soon as we find our friends, right?"

"No. We cannot afford the delay. Though it cuts me to the core of my being, I must leave them to save themselves. The choice is yours, you two: You can leave and search for Misako and the others, or join me as we sail into the heart of this island, the Island of Darkness."

"Well, I'm saying no." Maggie said. "You want me to abandon Geoff and our friends just to go after something yourself. You're cold, Wu." Maggie soon got off the Bounty and walks away, angered.

"Well, I'll go with you." Lloyd said. "I trust you, Master Wu. For now..." They soon take off as Maggie walks along the jungle.

* * *

Maggie kicks a stone, in anger. "Oh yes, 'Leave them to save themselves'." She said to herself, mocking Dragon's words. "Old ninny!" She kicks a bigger stone, which moves across before it hits something.

"Ow!" Someone called out.

Maggie stopped at the sound. "Geoff? Gewuji? Zane? Nya? Jay? Kai? Blake!?"

A big man with a Franchi SPAS-12 in his left hand soon came out, rubbing his head from where the rock landed on him. "You are one big kicker, missy." Maggie soon gulped as the man came up to her while pumping his shotgun.

* * *

At a beach, Jay moves along the shoreline as the waves partly hit him. "Nya?" He asked. "Zane? Cole? Gewuji? Maggie? Master Wu?! Anybody?!" He soon sighed. "I'd even be happy to see Ronin right now." He soon saw some machine parts. "Look at all this junk." He picks up a nut. "I should complain to the Dark Island Tourist Board. Wait a second." He looks closer. "This isn't junk. There are fresh tool marks. Somebody was building something here..." Screaming was soon heard nearby. "That sounds like Nya!" He throws the nut down down and runs along the shore, water hitting him as he ran along and saw Nya, wet and facing a big starfish, emitting purple energy. "I'm coming, Nya!"

"No need." She replied, conjuring a water ball. "I've got this!" She soon fired it. "Fuck off!" The starfish left as Jay soon hugged her.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. It just surprised me, that's all."

"I have a feeling that's not the only surprise on this island. That hurricane was a little too convenient. Have you seen anyone else?"

"No, you're the first."

Jay checks his communicator. "My communicator is dead. Is yours working?"

Nya checks hers. "Grey Ninja to Red Ninja... Grey Ninja to Green Ninja... Grey Ninja to Silver Ninja... Anybody, come in. Is anybody out there?" She soon sighed. "Mine is dead too."

"Or maybe... Maybe there isn't anyone out there to contact. What if we're the only survivors?"

"Let's not go there. We have to stay positive." Nya sees a nearby branch and heads over to it. "Besides, I love you, but I don't want to be stranded here with you for the rest of our lives, probably not being able to get married." She soon picked it up. "Grab a club."

"What for? Even if our equipment doesn't work, we still have our powers. You soak 'em, I zap 'em."

"Think about it: If something on this island can shut down electronics, maybe it can shut off our powers, too."

Several minutes later, they both walk along the beach, but stay on the dry part, which their gis were now dry, but had sand on them. "I suppose our friends could have been kidnapped by pirates."

"We will be too if you don't keep your down."

"If we see any pirates, I'll distract them and you run."

"Why can't I distract them and you run?"

"Help!" Someone called out. "Help!"

"Someone's in trouble!" They soon run off to the sound. "Hurry!"

* * *

Further up, a fisherman was held by none other than Flintlocke and Aliil while Doubloon and some other Sky Pirates look on and a guy, wearing a black cowboy hat, red and white bandana, brown vest, red flannel shirt, brown leather pants and brown cowboy boots, was holding someone else hostage with one of his Korth Mongooses. "Easy, matey!" Aliil yelled, placing his sword at the fisherman's neck. "Struggling won't be a lick of help!"

"Let me go!" The person, that the cowboy was holding, yelled with a feminine voice.

"Let's toss them in the truck!" The cowboy yelled.

Jay soon whistled to them. "Hey, guys, wouldn't it be easier to just go to the fish market?" He asked.

"And who be you?" Doubloon asked. "Some boat's crew cast ashore here?"

"I believe they're ninja, Doubloon." The cowboy said, turning to show he is holding Gewuji. "Howdy there."

"Gewuji!" Jay and Nya yelled.

"Jay, Nya!" Gewuji yelled, moving her head back and strikes the cowboy's nose.

The cowboy screamed as everyone is shocked to see his nose come off and land in the sand. "My nose!" He yelled, pushing Gewuji down and feels where his nose was. "You bitch!"

They all look on, surprised as he lowered his hand. There was circuitry around where the nose was knocked off. "You don't need a nose." Jay said as they look at him. "You're a Nindroid. Or better yet, a Cowdroid." This gets the girls to laugh.

"Attack!"

The pirates charge at them as Nya uses her branch to block Aliil's sword. "We love to fish..." She said. "Especially for sharks like you!" She forces Aliil back as Jay kicked a nearby pirate down and Gewuji kicked another one down.

"She's got courage, this one." Flintlocke said. "Courage and wit and a sharp tongue. I hate a sharp tongue."

"Then you're really going to hate this!" Nya fires some water at Flintlocke, knocking him back and freeing the fisherman, who runs away.

"Let's name today 'Fly like a Pirate Day'!" Jay yelled, doing Spinjitzu and knocks Doubloon down. "And that's for making me clean the pirates' bathroom on Misfortune's Keep! Even if you don't remember."

Nya sniffs a bit as she hand the branch stuck in the sand and spun around it, kicking some pirates down. "You guys need a bath. Really. Have you ever met a bar of soap?"

"I don't think they have!" Gewuji said, kicking a pirate in the groin, making him drop his weapons as they back away and the pirates and the cowboy come close.

"Hey, remember last time we combined our powers?" Jay asked Nya quietly. "Wanna try it again?"

"Sure, but let's do something different this time." Nya replied.

Nya and Jay fire their powers together, combining them to splash and shock the pirates and the cowboy. "Wow." Gewuji said.

"We make a pretty good pair, huh?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, we do!" Nya replied.

A board soon moved out of what appeared to be a cave and someone comes out, revealing to be Ronin. "Would you people keep it down?" He asked. "I'm trying to sleep in my cave!" He soon saw the three and ran up to them. "Oh, hey, Jay! Hi, Nya! Hello, Gewuji! Did you come to rescue me?!"

"Ronin?!"

"Why you-" Jay was cut off when Gewuji pushed him down, grabbed a pirates' sword and held it at him.

"Where's Misako?" She asked. "Where's my brother, you cancer stick inhaling bastard? Did you sell them to the pirates to keep yourself safe?"

"Hey!" Ronin replied as he got up, slowly as a tentacle came up behind him. "When I sign up for a job, I do it! And I do it well!"

Gewuji soon saw the tentacle. "Ronin, behind-"

"Don't interrupt me! Let me explain what happened-" The tentacle soon caught a hold of him, raising him high.


	4. Explanation

The tentacle is shown to be from a leviathan, which is also emitting purple energy. "Can someone help me?" Ronin asked as he was held by the leviathan's tentacle. "Please?!"

"Ronin!" The girls yelled.

"Nya, look out!" Jay yelled as he pushed her aside as a tentacle nearly caught her.

Nya soon did Airjitzu. "Guys, you stop the pirates and the Cowdroid from escaping." She said. "I'll fight the leviathan and free Ronin!"

"Wait! I'm not leaving you, Nya!"

"Help out, Jay." Gewuji said. "I got this."

Jay moves along as Nya fires a water shot at a tentacle. "Come on, ugly, keep your eyes on me!" She yelled.

"Now I better aim this right, or it's going to be Fried and Crispy Ronin." Jay said before firing a lightning bolt, hitting the tentacle holding Ronin, forcing the leviathan to let him go.

"I hope there's a part two to this plan!" Ronin yelled as he started falling before Jay uses Airjitzu to catch him. "Give a guy a little warning next time, would you?"

"I have to go help Nya." Jay soon lands on the ground, dropping Ronin. "Find a place to hide." He soon used Airjitzu to get back up in the air to help Nya.

"Hide? You're in for a big surprise, Ninja." Ronin runs to his campsite as the pirates and the cowboy wake up and start running away.

"Let's get out of here before that sea monster eats us for lunch!" Flintlocke yelled as they ran to the truck.

"Hey!" Gewuji yelled, conjuring a spike made of glass and threw it, hitting Aliil's left shoulder as it goes through, causing him to scream.

"Glass hit me shoulder!" He yelled as he got in and the truck moves off.

"Why didn't you listen to me, Jay?" Nya asked as she and Jay fired their powers at the leviathan.

"I was just trying to help!" Jay replied.

Machinery was heard as they look to see Ronin come out of his campsite, in a mech, chuckling. "Who needs Ninja when you've got a Ronin?" He asked, firing a flamethrower at the leviathan.

"Come on, Nya, pour it on! Drive it back into the sea!"

The leviathan growled before it soon took off. "We did it!" Nya yelled.

"Of course we did." Nya and Jay land as Gewuji came up to them.

"Where did you get the suit?"

"Put it together with odds and ends I found around here." Ronin replied. "Like it?"

"Well, it's no Samurai X suit, but it came in handy."

Ronin soon came out. "What are we waiting for? Let's get to your boat and get out of here before more pirates, that Cowdroid or sea monsters show up."

"Oh, uh, about that...Our ship is gone."

"Even if it were here, we're not going anywhere, not without our team." Jay said.

"Look, your friends are gone." Ronin replied. "We need to focus on getting off this island, and fast. You think that leviathan was scary? Then you definitely don't want to go into the jungle after the pirates, trust me."

Gewuji immediately punched Ronin in the face, knocking him down and moved her arm to his neck. "You were supposed to guard Misako with Geoff!" She yelled. "Where are they?! Tell me! Damn it, tell me!"

"Gewuji, stop!" Jay yelled, grabbing her and pulled her back as Nya helped Ronin up.

"Ronin, what happened here?" She asked.

"Misako, Geoff and I sailed here looking for clues regarding some missing fishermen." Ronin replied as he felt the bruise from when Gewuji hit him before getting out his cigarette pack, got out the last cigarette in it and threw the packet away. "We didn't find anything, but mutated beasts. After they mapped the island, we decided to head home and get help. I thought we were safe...but I was wrong." He tries to light his cigarette with his lighter before Jay held his hand up, emitting small lightning bolts, lighting the cigarette.

* * *

Several Days Earlier

A cannon hits one of the sails as Geoff starts firing at them with his pistol as Ronin did the same with his before they both run out of ammo. "Prepare to fight!" Geoff yelled as he came up to his rucksack and got out a katana as he puts his rucksack on over his shoulder.

"Next thing we know, we had company." Ronin's present voice was heard. "The kind that likes to take you for walks on the plank, got me?"

Ronin, with a pirate's cutlass, blocks Doubloon's sword as Geoff punches Clancee down. "There's too many of them!" Ronin yelled.

"Keep fighting!" Geoff yelled, kicking Clancee.

"They attacked. The pirates boarded us, and there was a fight. Geoff and I did our best...but it wasn't enough." Geoff stabs a pirate before pulling his sword out, but a big wave soon knocks him and Ronin overboard. "A wave washed me and Geoff overboard. I don't know what happened to Geoff, but I could barely swim in the craziness of the huge storm." Ronin struggles to swim as he sees the pirates surround Misako. "I was helpless as I watched the pirate ship sail back to the island."

* * *

At the shore of the Dark Island, several minutes later, a wave hits Ronin's face, making him wake up and look up. "Geoff?" He asked before he got up. "Misako?"

"By the time I made it back to shore, the pirates were gone. And Misako with them. But I don't know what happened to Geoff, until I saw his animal symbol on a nearby tree." Ronin comes up to a tree and finds a scratching of a scorpion on it, with letters underneath it. 'WU,LFMN. DWFM. G' "It wasn't hard to decipher his message. 'Woke up, looking for Misako now. Don't wait for me. Geoff.'"

* * *

Present

"I knew it was from him, but I disobeyed his message and tried to look for them, but couldn't find them. The jungle has terrible creatures and monsters you wouldn't believe... Ever since, I've been staying under cover on the beach and keeping an eye out for a way off this rock." He puffs his cigarette before getting it out.

"That's it?" Nya asked. "But what's going on? You must have learned something else."

"Just that the pirates attack any boat that comes near under cover of the storm. They kidnap the crews, then loot the ships. After that, they disappear back into the jungle."

"But what for?" Jay asked, confused. "What do they need a bunch of fishermen and cargo haulers for?"

"How should I know? You're the heroes, figure it out." He puts the cigarette back in his mouth.

"Well, thanks for the 'help', Ronin." Gewuji sarcastically said as she picked up the cutlass she was using to threaten Ronin and looked at it. "You can go crawling back to your cave now to think about how it feels like to be abandoned by your ex-friend."

"Gewuji, I kept on regretting leaving Geoff here, three years ago. But if I didn't do that, he wouldn't have become a Ninja. Anyway, he and I promised Dragon to watch Misako. If I can help her, then I'm coming with you."

"Good." Nya replied, kneeling down at something. "Four is better than three. We can follow these tyre tracks from the pirates' truck and find out where they've taken Misako and the fishermen."

"Maybe we'll even find the rest of our friends. Even Geoff." They start heading into the jungle as Ronin threw his cigarette away, climbed into his mech and followed them in it.

"Let's hope we find them fast." Jay said. "Dark Island gives me a bad feeling, and I rather not stick around to find out why..."

* * *

Further in jungle, in the truck, the Cowdroid feels the spot where his nose once was, touching his robotic insides as he did so. "Lousy varmint." He said. "Girl's got spunk."

"There be Brutob!" Flintlocke said, pointing to the big man, who holds Maggie by her hair and the shotgun pointed at her back.

"Creak-bot, sea monster got your nose?" He asked as he forced Maggie forward.

"No." Creak-bot replied. "A girl, dressed like her." He points to Maggie. "But very light blue outfit, not tan."

"Gewuji's alive." Maggie said to herself.

"She be with two others." Aliil said.

"I hope one of them is Geoff." Maggie whispered to herself.

"Throw her in the truck." Creak-bot called out as Brutob soon threw her inside.

* * *

Further ahead, in the desert, Kai and Blake move along as Kai stopped to catch his breath. "We haven't had anything in days." He said. "Food, water, sleep. I just wish we find something."

Blake soon turned to see a well further ahead. "Kai, I hope that well is not a mirage." He replied as he soon ran to it as Kai so as well. Blake came up to the well and started to pull on a rope. "I don't care if it's cold or not."

Kai soon came up to Blake as he got a sack out at the end of the rope and Kai put his hand in it before groaning. "Nothing."

"Dammit!" Blake throws the sack in frustration. "Not to self: Keep a small canteen in my ninja suit."

"Well, we better keep moving."

"I hate this." Kai and Blake soon resume moving along.


	5. Mine Work

The Bounty moves along the river as some bugs, emitting strange energy just like the gorillas, came at them as Lloyd, who was at the helm, was annoyed by them. "Most interesting." Dragon said as he swats a bug away with a fan. "It seems that something on this island has affected the size of common insects." He swats another one away. "I wonder what other changes have resulted from this strange environment."

"This is just a guess, but it's made the bugs awfully mad." Lloyd replied as he came out and started firing blasts of Energy at them. "Good thing I brought my fly-swatting elemental energy!"

"Lloyd, wait-!" The bugs soon move away. "We could have dealt with the threat in a more peaceful manner. They were after all, innocent creatures."

"They were pests, just like the Serpentine were and the Nindroids..." He soon turned to Wu, showing his eyes which are now purple. "...and the Green Ninja squashes pests! Do you have a problem with that?" He soon walked back to the helm as his eyes return to normal while Dragon sighed and wrote in a journal. Two days later, Dragon was at the helm as Lloyd gets very angry. "This river goes on forever! We'll never find my mother this way! She's lost in the jungle somewhere. So are our friends. I should have gone with Maggie, and that's where we should be searching."

"You must have patience, Lloyd."

* * *

11 Years Earlier

10 year old Lloyd meditates as a butterfly flies along the sky. _"Do you not remember the problem of the butterfly, when you were a boy?" _Dragon's present voice was heard. _"As part of your training, you had to remain completely still until a butterfly would feel safe to land upon you." _Lloyd soon held his hand out slowly and the butterfly lands on it as Lloyd smiled at it.

* * *

Present

"That same patience and strength is needed now."

"I don't have time for butterflies!" Lloyd said as his eyes glow purple again and he fires a shot of Energy at a nearby butterfly. "I'm here for my mom, and that's all."

"Lloyd, stop!" Dragon grabs hold of Lloyd. "You are not yourself, Lloyd. Your reasoning is clouded by the island's Dark Matter. Geoff told me about it. We must work together to survive this place."

"I'm...sorry, Master. You're on your own." Lloyd soon did Airjitzu. "Once I find my mother and my girlfriend, I'll come back for you." He lands on a nearby bank and runs off. "But right now, I can't afford to waste any more time!"

"Nor can I. This island is more dangerous than even I imagined."

* * *

At another part of the island, atop of a mountain, Zane had just awoken as Cole turned to him. "I am awake." Zane said as he got up. "I am functioning. Status: Minor damage only."

"It's about time." Cole replied as something came down around them. "I was starting to worry you were...you know, broken. You almost missed the snowstorm."

Zane grabs a bit and rubs it in his hand. "Snow? This is not snow. It is volcanic ash." He soon got out a shuriken. "It is probably best to be prepared for anything. We do not know what secrets this place-" Screeching was heard as a big crow grabs hold of the shuriken. "Hey! That is mine!" He was soon dragged off as Cole grabbed hold of him as the crow flew along the mountain. "Uh, perhaps I should not have held on?"

"Well, that's one secret discovered. The birds here are big and scary..."

Zane looks at their surroundings. "Look at this place! Have you ever seen anything like it?"

"I'm sort of wishing I wasn't seeing it now. This place is like a nightmare come true."

Zane soon sees a hill. "We are getting close to land. We should prepare to jump."

"I'd rather not." But Zane didn't listen as he lets go of the shuriken and they start bouncing down the hill with Cole exclaiming in pain. They soon land at the bottom as Cole soon rubbed the back of his neck. "I may be a ghost, but I can still feel pain. And that did not feel good." Zane soon got up and looks over a formation of rocks they were hiding behind. "Like, at all."

"Shh. My audio sensors are picking up something..." Zane whispered.

"I didn't hear anything." Cole also whispered as he came up to him.

"I can hear things you can't. That's how I always know when you're planning a surprise party."

"Speaking of which, there's a party down below that we should probably crash."

"Cole, I don't think that's a party." Zane misunderstood. "There is no cake."

They look to see Nadakhan's crew, Brutob, Creak-Bot and a boy, holding a skateboard. As well as some fishermen as they head in. "Pirates! They must be the ones Master Wu spoke of."

Zane soon see Misako, Maggie and Geoff as they also head in. Geoff was in his new gi along with a brace on his left arm. "And Misako, Maggie and Geoff are among them. We must rescue them."

* * *

A few seconds later, a fisherman brings out a cart full of glowing substance. "What is that stuff?"

"Dark Matter. Geoff told me about it. It can turn the purest of things evil. One touch and you are evil. Even I, a Nindroid, could feel its effects. Cole, we must save these people and stop the mining operation."

"That won't be easy. There are a lot of pirates and just the two of us."

Lloyd soon emerged from the jungle, charging at the pirates. "Actually, the fight has already begun. Lloyd is down there."

"So much for the Element of Surprise." Lloyd punches a pirate, knocking him down before grabbing Aliil and punches his shoulder where Gewuji stabbed her glass spike, causing him to scream before Lloyd kicked him down. "Let's get down there and help him." They soon come out behind the formation as Lloyd kicks Flintlocke, sending him onto the ground.

"Is that all you got, you sea rats?!" He asked. "How unworthy you are!"

"Hey, buddy!" Cole and Zane came up to Lloyd as he knocked Alill out. "Where ya been? And what's with the eye-color change?"

"Leave me alone. I don't need your help!" Aliil soon went down as Lloyd looked at the unconscious pirates. "That's the last of these wretches."

"Lloyd, stop for a minute. The Dark Matter, it's affecting you."

Lloyd's eyes soon return to normal. "Dragon said the same thing. I'm sorry. It's hard to fight these dark feelings, especially when I'm so close to these mines. I'll...I'll hold it together."

"Good, let us go save your mom." Zane said. "She is inside with Geoff and Maggie."

"Maggie ended up here?"

"We saw her enter." Cole said.

"She must've found Geoff and got caught." They soon head inside.

* * *

In the mines, Lloyd, Zane and Cole hide behind a pile of rocks as they see the kid with the skateboard move along, while holding a pair of VBR-Belgium PDWs. "P.I.X.A.L., do have information on the boy?" Zane asked.

Beeping was heard before they stop. "Identity confirmed." P.I.X.A.L. replied from inside Zane's head. "Liza Pipininth, aka, Swayed. Former skateboarding champion until he was terminated for placing bets on himself. Said to once be part of the Galante Animosus, before going off the grid."

"Looks like he's working for someone alongside the pirates." Cole said. "Though, I don't get why he has a girl's name."

"Probably short for something." Lloyd replied.

"His name isn't Something." Zane said, not understanding him.

"That's not what I was referring to."

"Hey!" Someone called out to Swayed, causing the three to quickly crouch down behind the pile again as they see Brutob come up to Swayed. "Aren't you supposed to be watching the fishermen, that archaeologist and those two Ninja instead of moving around on your board?"

"Dude, you have got to chill." Swayed replied. "Dogshank's got it under control."

"Fine. I just don't get why a guy has to watch them alone."

"Dogshank's a lady! Don't ever let her catch you saying that in front of her, man. I'm going to check on the prisoners further on." Swayed soon moved further into the cave as Brutob gets out a cigarette, lights it and starts smoking.

"Now we have a big brute in the way." Lloyd said.

"P.I.X.A.L., indentify." Zane said.

"Bruce Tobin, aka, Brutob." P.I.X.A.L. replied from inside Zane's head. "Former boxer until he suffered a spinal injury, resulting in his career being terminated. He was sentenced to Kryptarium for severing the spine of the boxer that was his final match, broke out during a prison riot using the ventilation system."

"Let's see if he is dumb too." Cole said as he grabbed a nearby stone and throws it close to Brutob, making him drop his cigarette.

"What the hell?" He asked, turning a corner with his shotgun at the ready as Lloyd, Zane and Cole soon move past him. "Swayed, was that you?" He soon sighed and knelt down to pick his cigarette up, wiped the dirt off of it and relit it. "Damn brat made me drop my cancer stick." He takes a couple of puffs.

* * *

They move down the cave as they see the fishermen, all hitting the cave walls with pickaxes. Their eyes were also purple as they see Creak-Bot move along. "Make haste." He said as they soon see Geoff, Maggie and Misako.

"Mom." Lloyd whispered as they soon came up to them. "Mom! Hurry, we've come to help you escape."

"Escape...?" Misako asked as she soon turned around, showing she too has purple eyes. "Why would I escape, foolish child? The dark is here. I want to stay close to the dark forever."

"Mom, what are you saying? What's happened to you?"

Geoff and Maggie soon turned around, showing that they too have purple eyes. "Nothing compared to what is going to happen to you." Geoff said.

Misako soon turned to the pirates and Creak-Bot. "Guards!" She yelled. "Guards!"

"We have intruders!" Maggie yelled.

"Guys, no!" Lloyd yelled as the pirates, Creak-Bot and Swayed move up to them.

"Uh oh, this isn't good." Cole said.

"About time we had some fun on this job!" Dogshank yelled as they came at them.

"Howdy." Creak-Bot said, grabbing hold of his guns. "Meet my ladies." He pulls them out and started firing them as Swayed did so as well with his machine pistols.

Lloyd and Zane move out of the way while the bullets pass through Cole before Lloyd held his hands out, firing a blast of Energy at them, but Dogshank was able to get out of the way. "Back off!" As he did so, Geoff, Maggie and Misako's eyes return to normal.

Dogshank soon swung her anchor at Lloyd, who ducks down to dodge it. "Cute little light show." She said. "What else have you got?"

Lloyd soon grabbed hold of the chain connected to the anchor. "Not much. Just this!" He soon does Spinjitzu, sending Dogshank in it.

"That's...really...good...but...I'm...better." Dogshank grabs hold of the cave wall, causing Lloyd to disperse and land on the ground.

"But nobody breaks out of Spinjitzu!"

"Then call me Nobody. Wouldn't be the first time."

Lloyd soon held out his hands and fired a beam of energy at her. "Why don't I call you later...like next year?"

As Dogshank laid unconscious, Cole, Zane, Geoff, Maggie and Misako came up to Lloyd. "Lloyd!" Misako said as Zane and Geoff help him up. "Are you all right?"

"Mom, you're okay." Lloyd replied. "You sound like yourself again."

"That was the Dark Matter's doing." Geoff said. "It steals your mind and spirit... But your elemental energy must have set us free."

"Thank you, son." Misako said as she hugged her son.

"I hate to break up the family reunion, but I think we'd better get going before more pirates show up." Cole replied.

"I won't leave until we rescue the other prisoners."

"Let's split up." Lloyd said. "Zane, you, Cole and Maggie go find us some transportation, and we'll free the prisoners."

"Be careful!" Zane replied as they take off.

"Always!"


	6. Transportation and a Monkey

Cole, Zane and Maggie run along the tunnels to get to the entrance, unaware that something was coming at them. "Hurry, guys!" Cole yelled. "The sooner we get out of here, the-" He soon crashed into something that made not only him fall down, but the being he crashed into fall down. It was Monkey Wretch. "Hey, Zane, Maggie, look what I found. A pirate monkey! I've always wanted one."

As Cole got up, Monkey Wretch started gibbering. "I don't understand what he's saying...something about clown lessons?" Maggie asked.

"Fortunately, I speak robot primate." Zane replied. "He is a mechanic. He designed vehicles that run on Dark Matter..." Monkey Wretch starts to take off as they soon follow him. "...and he is willing to take us to the pirates if we promise not to hurt him."

"A monkey mechanic?" Cole asked. "Sounds like Jay! And we sure we can trust this... whatever he is?"

"Not knowing the present condition of Destiny's Bounty, we have no choice. We need vehicles to find our friends and get off this island."

* * *

They soon came out of the tunnel and ran along the path before coming up to some vehicles, that were glowing, due to Dark Matter. "These will work perfectly."

"Love the shape, hate the colors." Maggie said. Rustling was soon as Monkey Wretch soon hid behind Cole.

"We are not alone. I hear someone coming out of the jungle!"

Pretty soon, Jay, Nya, Gewuji, and Ronin, in his mech emerged from the jungle. "You hear us, you crazy Nindroid!" Jay called out as they came up to them.

"It's good to see you all." Nya said.

"Did you find Misako?" Ronin asked.

"And Geoff?" Gewuji asked.

"They should be right behind us, along with Lloyd." Cole replied.

"But I am more interested in what is in front of us." Zane said, coming up to a rover and getting in as Monkey Wretch did so as well.

"We have no time to waste." Maggie replied as she came up to what looked like a two wheeled carriage, with two hooks attached to two trikes with roofs on them and got in one of them.

Gewuji soon got in the other one. "Everyone, get in." She said.

"No, thanks." Ronin replied, tapping the side of his mech. "I've got my own sweet ride."

Cole, Jay and Nya come up to a vehicle similar to the Ultra Sonic Raider, but with bikes instead of wheel tractions attached to it and a jet atop of it. Jay and Nya got on the bikes while Cole got in the jet component. The vehicles suddenly start emitting electricity and stopped glowing. "Hey, what's going on here?" Jay asked as the electricity immediately stopped. "I just sat down and this thing started crackling like one of those lightning bolts." They soon shine from the sunlight.

"Fascinating." Zane said.

"Um, what just happened?" Maggie asked.

"I think our powers cleansed the vehicles of whatever the Dark Matter did to them." Cole replied.

"They're all ours now!" Gewuji yelled.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Nya asked as they soon took off.

* * *

At the tunnel entrance, Lloyd, Misako and Geoff were leading the prisoners out as one of them held Brutob's shotgun, two of them had Creak-Bot's revolvers and another had one of Swayed's sub-machine guns as Misako held the other one. "This is the last of the prisoners." Lloyd said. "Let's find our friends and Master Wu. I...owe him an apology."

"That will have to wait, my son." Misako replied, checking the magazines before putting them back in. "There is still much to do."

"And we'll be the ones doing it." Flintlocke's voice was heard as they all look to see him, Doubloon, Aliil and some pirates coming at them as the fishermen with the stolen guns aim at them. "At them, pirates!"

Aliil held his sword out to Geoff, who grabs a nearby branch and used it to block the sword before moving back as he made a counter strike, which Aliil blocks, the top of the branch breaking off as he did so.

"Get back, mom!" Lloyd yelled as he poised.

"No!" Misako replied, aiming the gun. "I will help you protect the fishermen." She soon turned to some pirates and fired, some of them go down while the rest jump down to avoid the gunfire before the guns clicked dry. "Damn! Should've took his extra mags."

Two pirates soon restrain Lloyd by his arms. "Got you, Ninja!" A female pirate yelled.

"You might have me-" Lloyd said as he soon does Spinjitzu, letting them be dragged in it. "But can you hold me?" The pirates let go and fell to the ground.

Close by, Aliil breaks Geoff's branch in half, but he uses one half to block the sword before using the other to strike him in the face, knocking him down, but he rolls over and got up, swinging his sword as Geoff moved his broken pieces upwards. "Ye be good with weapons, but they be weak against a sword." He said.

"Bring it on, matey." Geoff replied as he sees Aliil's wound was bleeding again when Lloyd struck him earlier.

Nearby, Flintlocke held his sword out to Misako as she threw the gun away. "Those boys may have bite, but you're just a little fish ready for the hook." He said.

"Do not mistake age for frailty, or wisdom for weakness, pirate." She replied.

"Yeah, what she said!" Lloyd yelled.

Close by, Geoff blocks a strike from Aliil as he soon raised the other branch up to strike, but Aliil blocks it before turning around and struck it, breaking it in half before Geoff backed away and threw the broken branch at him, hitting his wounded shoulder. Aliil groaned as Geoff soon went to strike again, but Aliil blocks it before Geoff forces him to lower it down and kicks him in the shoulder, causing him to groan as he fells back, letting go of his sword as Geoff dropped the branch. "Ye fight well, Ninja." Aliil said.

Engines were soon heard nearby as everyone looked to see the others, in the vehicles, charging at them. "Surprise!" Gewuji yelled.

"We came looking for Lloyd, and guess what we found?" Jay asked. "Mean old pirates."

"Jokes later, Jay." Zane replied. "We must save the fishermen."

"Time to earn our paychecks!" Ronin said as they soon fire their vehicles' weapons at the pirates, scaring them off.

"Cut them off." Maggie said. "Do not let them escape."

"Belay the attack, men." Flintlocke called out. "We have all the Dark Matter the master needs for his plans. Retreat to the vehicles and make for the Temple of Light!" The pirates immediately retreat as Aliil looked at the Ninja.

"Enjoy your little victory, dogs, it will be your last!" He yelled. "And I'm going to get me sword back too, matey!" They soon leave as the fishermen came up to Misako, Lloyd and Geoff.

"Geoff!" Gewuji yelled, getting off the carriage vehicle and runs up to Geoff to hug him.

"Gewuji." He replied as she moved back.

"Are you hurt?"

"Just a few scratches." Gewuji soon went over to Lloyd and hugged him while Geoff picked up Aliil's sword and looked at it. "Deepstone."

"You saved us!" The fisherman, holding the shotgun said.

"How can we repay you?" Another fisherman asked.

"You are not safe." Misako replied.

"Not as long as you remain on the island." Geoff said.

"We know where there are boats that are undamaged." A fisherman with one of Creak-Bot's revolvers replied. "We can make our way home. Thanks for saving us!"

"Hey, I'm all for group hugs, but Blake, my brother and Master Wu are still missing." Nya said. "Can we do something about that?"

"The only logical course is to follow the pirates." Zane replied. "They must be stopped. And they may lead us to our friends in the process. We must go to the Temple of Light."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Jay asked as Lloyd and Misako got into the front component of the vehicle that Jay, Nya and Cole were in and Geoff got in the carriage part of the vehicle that Maggie was at as Gewuji got back on the bike and they take off. "Let's go sink some pirates."


	7. Dragon vs Dragon

Almost two days later, Dragon was still moving the Destiny's Bounty along the river as a mosquito, glowing purple due to being infected with Dark Matter, came up to him and jabs him in the neck. "Ouch." He hissed as his eyes soon glowed purple. The mosquito soon flew away as Dragon came up to the deck and sees something form in front of him. It was like a shadow version of himself. "Who- or what- are you?"

"I am you, of course, silly old man." Shadow Dragon replied. "Here to advice you about your destiny, if you're ready to hear what I have to say."

"My senses are playing tricks on me."

"Are you certain? You of all people must know that anything is possible."

"Who are you? How did you get on my ship?"

"I am here because you summoned me." He soon held his hand out. "Take my hand, Master."

"I think not. I summoned no one. Tell the truth, if you can."

"I am not the deceiver here. It is you who lies, to himself and others, time after time. I am here to bring clarity and understanding. That is all. How often have you known of danger approaching and failed to warn your Ninja? Did you tell them the truth of what their lives would be on the day you recruited them? You wanted others to fight your battles for you, and more...to honour you and believe in your every word. Your Ninja team is not a gift to the world, Dragon Wu, but a gift to yourself. You are so like your father, willing to sacrifice others before himself."

"Are you done? You know nothing of me, or my father. I am truly not in the mood for villain speeches today."

"I am not the villain here. But perhaps you are too ill to listen."

"Ill?" Dragon grabs a nearby wall. "I am not sick." He soon growled and faces his shadow, poising. "Begone, whatever you are. I have a destiny to meet."

"Your destiny is over." He starts heading over to Dragon. "Look around you, Wu. You are on a journey without an ending." He soon throws a fist at him, knocking him back. "Darkness has claimed this river, just like it claims everything else on this island. Just as it will claim you."

Dragon gets up as Shadow Dragon goes for another punch, but he quickly blocks it. "Like it did with you?"

"Oh, I am not of this island, Wu." He soon throws another fist, knocking Dragon back. "I came here with you."

"I said-" Dragon goes for a punch. "BEGONE!" The fist goes through the shadow.

Shadow Dragon laughs as he expands and comes up to the side of the Bounty. "You are on a fool's errand, Wu, but that is only right..." He soon grabs hold of Wu. "BECAUSE YOU ARE A FOOL! This time, your Ninja won't be able to help you. If you want to face the darkness, you'll have to do it on your own." He soon throws him onto the deck, which breaks and sends him into the hold.

* * *

"Especially since they've already been corrupted by this island! And you will never see them again!"

"I don't... believe you..." Dragon slowly starts to get up.

"You do. Deep down you know what I say is true."

Shadow Dragon soon slammed his fist in, but Dragon manages to hop out of the way before crawling up to a tray with a teapot, cup and tea on it. "About me facing the darkness alone? Perhaps. But my faith in the Ninja remains true and strong. I reject you...and this place...you will not win." He quickly grabs the teapot and cup before pouring tea into the cup. "None of this is real. Of course, if I am wrong, I am doomed. But what is life without a little risk?"

Dragon starts to drink his tea as his shadow sticks his head in. "You cannot hide from me! I am your doubts and fears, and I will haunt your every step."

"Then I banish doubt and I banish fear, creature. And by facing them head on-"

"NO! I WILL DEVOUR YOU!" He starts heading inside to get to him.

"-I banish you." His shadow soon engulfed him.

* * *

Dragon suddenly woke up. It seemed the whole thing was in his head as he looked at the ceiling to see it undamaged, but his cup was on the ground next to him. "The bite of that insect, combined with the evil influence of this island, created powerful visions." He soon slowly starts to get up as he looks at the crate. "My students may not have understood, but my tea is good for more than quenching thirst." He soon comes up to the deck and grabs hold of the helm. "Perhaps my shadow was right...perhaps putting young people in harm's way is an act of selfishness, not honour. And yet... And yet, the chose this life, and they saved this world over and over again. No matter why the seed was planted, the tree has grown tall and strong. I cannot dwell in the past...and if I do not master today, there will be no future."

* * *

Several years earlier, but alternative choices

"To find you, Cole." Dragon said to Cole.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, old man." Cole replied as he soon came up to the edge of the mountain to start climbing down and Dragon sighs.

* * *

Several weeks later

Dragon sits at a tea shop while looking at a TV. "Walker-Spikes, the best equipment ever." Cole said on a TV, while wearing winter gear, showing off some climbing gear.

* * *

Several months later

"I can handle this all by myself." Jay said to Dragon as he soon got up and walked away. "Leave me alone."

* * *

Several weeks later

Outside a building, Jay, wearing a black suit, blue shirt and blue tie, stands next to a man, holding a big gold key. "Jay Gordon-Walker, new technician of Borg Industries, has just been given the key to the city for his special inventions." A reporter said while in the background, Dragon watched as Jay accepts the key.

* * *

Several months later

"I can handle all this by myself." Zane said as he walked away from Dragon, who looks on as Zane threw the towel aside and jumped back into the frozen lake.

* * *

Several weeks later

At Ed and Edna's Scrap 'n' Junk, pieces of Zane were in a junk pile as Dragon came up to it and shook his head.

* * *

Several months later

Lloyd walks down the steps while carrying a bag as Dragon watches him leave. "There's something better for me, rather than just train here." Lloyd said as he stopped and turned to his uncle. "Maybe even find my mother. I understand why you told me about my father, but I can't fight him." He starts walking down the steps as Dragon looked on.

* * *

Several days later

On the streets of Ninjago City, Dragon was among a group of civilians as they watch on a big TV as Lloyd was shown on TV, standing proud. "...son of archaeologist Misako Garmadon, has just discovered the Anacondrai tomb and had a close encounter of two before taking their lives in self-defence."

* * *

Several weeks later

"The shop is called 'Four Weapons', not 'For Browsing'." Kai said as he was in his blacksmith shop. "Either buy something or go pedal your insults somewhere else!"

"I apologise." Dragon replied as he soon walked away. "I will not bother you again."

* * *

Several weeks later

Dragon looked on to see Kai and Nya arguing. "I am the better blacksmith than you!" Kai yelled.

"This is getting too much, we need to move on!" She yelled.

* * *

Several years earlier

Geoff kneels next to his mother before shaking his head. "I'm staying." He said.

* * *

Several years later

On the streets of Ninjago City, outside Chen's Noodle House, there is a giant crowd as Geoff was on a stand, holding a bullhorn. "Come and enjoy Master Chen's new stews." He said. "Cooked with woks."

* * *

Several months earlier

"How about if I wear it?" Blake asked as he came up to Dragon, hoping to wear the silver Deepstone gi.

"Absolutely not!" He replied. "Besides, you're a samurai, Blake."

"I can't remain being Samurai X forever."

"My answer is no. You are also the son, and apparent heir to inherit your father's company."

"Very well then."

* * *

Several months later

Dragon stands outside a store as Blake, wearing a grey suit, white shirt, pink tie, and black dress shoes, emerges from it, holding up a watch, resulting in the crowd cheering.

* * *

Several weeks later

In Master Chen's Noodle House, Dragon sits at a table, drinking sake before Gewuji, in a kabuki dress, came up to him. "Another one, or would you like to order?" She asked.

"I'll just leave, put the drinks on my tab." He replied, getting up to leave.

* * *

Several weeks later

Maggie kneels down at her mother's grave before getting up and heads over to her house.

* * *

Several days later

Dragon sees Maggie, sitting at a cafe as a middle aged man shows up and kisses her neck and she groaned.

* * *

Present, Reality

Dragon sighs before looking at the sky. "Maybe I should go the Cave of Nigebrodne." He soon sees the Cave of Nigebrodne ahead before lowering the anchor into the river and came up to the bowel section. "I believe I have what I sought. My destiny is close. The fate of the world may rest inside that cave."

* * *

Further away, the Ninja in their new vehicles and Ronin in his mech, move along the path, still in pursuit of the pirates. "We're catching up to the pirates." Jay said. "It won't be long now."

"I am worried about Dragon, Blake and Kai." Misako replied. "It has been too long without any word."

"Master Wu is sailing up the dark river on Destiny's Bounty." Lloyd said. "As for Kai and Blake... I don't know."

"I know the river." Geoff replied. "It leads to the Temple of Light, on our current route, that's where we're heading too. Surely, it will be a target for the pirates and whoever is leading them."

"I'm the least affected by this weird place, probably because I'm a ghost." Cole said. "I can go find Master Wu."

Monkey Wretch gibbers to Zane, who nods. "Our primate friend says the Ultra Stealth Raider and Mega Carriage can split up into multiple vehicles." Zane replied. "I would advise Cole to take one and inform Master Wu that we will meet him at the temple."

"Do it." Lloyd said. "And Cole...find him."

Cole pulls back a gear on the left side of the jet component before it detached from the Ultra Stealth Raider. "Jet mode detached." The computer said as Cole soon takes off.

"See you at the Temple of Light!" He said as he took off. "But I can't promise there will be any pirates left to fight by the time you get there."

"No fair, Cole." Jay replied as the USR Jet was now away from them. "Leave us some!"

"Why would you want Cole to spare our enemies simply so that we should heave to deal with them later?" Zane asked, not understanding the expression.

"Zane, he just means..." Gewuji tries to think of what to say. "Oh, never mind."

* * *

Further on, in the cave, Dragon moves along, holding a lit torch. "There is great evil here...I can feel it." He thoughted. "What I sensed during my meditations was the truth: The universe is out of balance. And the source of that imbalance waits within this cave. Closer than ever..." He soon sees a figure, glowing purple due to Dark Matter. "At last, an enemy who has substance." He called out as the figure turned to him. "Battling this island's phantoms and puppets has grown tiresome."

"Honestly?" The figure asked. "When I began mining the Dark Matter, I had no idea it would affect every living thing on the island so much... Spirits are strong, but bodies are weak."

"I am many things, dark one, but never weak." He throws the torch aside and charges at the figure. "And now, I bring you out into the light!"

The figure soon held a hand out, firing a blast of purple energy at him, knocking him back. "Into the light? Soon there will be no more light on the island." Dragon lands as he watched the figure preparing to emerge from the shadows. "All because of me! Now, I'm second-in-command to no one, not even Chen." The figure reveals himself to be the ghost of Heianmofa Clouse.


	8. Clouse's Delusional Plan

**(A/N: I knew it! I was right! Still... Why would Zane just up and betray his friends? Might find out next week. Anyway, with this news, I'm uploading two chapters today)**

* * *

"Heianmofa Clouse?!" Those were the first words Dragon said when Heianmofa revealed himself from the darkness.

"I suspected your Ninja or my kids would show up, old man." Heianmofa said as he knelt down to him. "Not you, the son of the First Spinjitzu Master. Nevertheless, I will be honoured to destroy you."

"But the Cursed Realm was destroyed! How the hell did you manage to escape?"

"You're not the only one with tricks up his sleeve, old man..." He soon conjures a chain. "When your old student, Morro, opened the Cursed Realm as part of his own plot, I used the opportunity to escape from the Preeminent cell I shared with Chen. Unlike that bitch that spawned my children, when she was freed by Morro."

Heianmofa soon wrapped the chain around Dragon. "I always hated magic! Your son defeated you once. Now I'll finish the job."

"Ah, no. My plans are well underway on this island, soon, it will be too late to stop me."

"I have-" He groaned. "-heard this speech so often, I can finish it for you: 'No one can defeat me! I will rule the world!'"

"Mock me, Wu, if that provides you with false courage. But this game is over, and you never even knew the stakes which you played..."

* * *

Several Weeks Earlier

In Stiix, Heianmofa is looking through the scrap for the teapot as the workers were sorting some of it out. _"When I first escaped, I sought out the legendary Teapot of Tyrahn, and the Djinn, Nadakhan, said to be trapped inside it."_ Heianmofa's present voice was heard.

"Hmm..." Heianmofa said. "It must be here somewhere."

But the moment he had his eye on it, he hears someone. "Look, a ghost!" They yelled out, causing him to turn to the salvage workers where the scarred young man pointed out to him before picking up a pipe. "Get him!" Heianmofa quickly jumped onto the jetty and started running as the workers pursue him.

The teapot on the other hand is soon buried underneath more rubble as it landed on top of it and the boat soon casts off. _"But it was nowhere to be found."_ Heianmofa's present voice was heard.

* * *

Several Days Later

In a building, Heianmofa drops a sack of coins in front of Swayed, Creak-Bot and Brutob as Brutob picked up the sack and looked in it. "There's more money where that came from once this job is complete." Heianmofa said. "Either take it or leave it."

Brutob puts the sack down. "It's a deal." He replied, holding his hand out as Heianmofa soon shook it.

* * *

Several More Days Later

Swayed, Creak-Bot and Brutob watch Heianmofa open up a portal. _"Unwilling to abandon my destiny, I hired those morons, the Galante Animosus gang and we came here to Dark Island."_ Heianmofa's present voice was heard as Flintlocke, Doubloon and Aliil come out of the portal._ "I used my magic to open a portal to other realms and retrieved Nadakhan's pirate crew."_ The three pirates raised their weapons at Heianmofa as Swayed, Creak-Bot and Brutob aim their guns at them. _"They were grateful to be rescued, but not grateful enough. They wanted to go their own way, never to answer to anyone else again."_ Heianmofa soon held his hand out and Flintlocke, Doubloon and Aliil start sinking through portals Heianmofa conjured underneath them as Swayed, Creak-Bot and Brutob were slightly shocked by his actions. _"I convince them it would be in their best interests to listen to me."_

* * *

Present

"And now you plunder fishing boats and kidnap their crews?" Dragon asked. "You are not a master villain, but a coward who hurts the innocent."

"Don't interrupt me!" Heianmofa yelled. "Eons ago, your father split Ninjago in two. One half light, one half dark. On this island, he erected a Temple of Light...that temple is the sole source of light on this island. Do you know what that means, Wu?"

* * *

Vision

The Temple of Light shines bright before it soon goes dark. _"If the temple should fall to darkness, then all the land, both halves, will belong to the dark."_ Heianmofa's reality voice is heard. _"They will merge to become a single dark whole. And I will be the master of it all."_

* * *

Reality

"Clouse, you must stop this at once!" Dragon yelled as he struggled against the chains. "Your lust for power will destroy the world, perhaps even all the realms. You are not like Chen or the others. You are smarter than this. You can use your powers for good. You don't have to do this."

"You're right." Heianmofa replied. "I am nothing like Chen...I have access to an island full of Dark Matter. My slaves have been mining it, and my pirates and those punks have been shipping it to the temple."

* * *

Vision

The pirates, Swayed, Creak-Bot and Brutob move crates of Dark Matter to the Temple of Light._ "The temple has its own defences against the influence of Dark Matter of course." _Heianmofa's reality voice was heard. _"But, bring enough of it close to the structure, and those defences will fall."_ The temple soon starts glowing purple because of the Dark Matter. _"Given enough Dark Matter, it will become a Temple of Darkness, my temple. Where so many others have failed, I will succeed."_

* * *

Soon, the Ninja, all emitting purple eyes due to Dark Matter, kneel down before Heianmofa._ "As for your Ninja, they will be my servants, if they are fortunate."_

* * *

Soon, the Ninja were all on the ground, dead as Lloyd's hand has blood on it, Geoff's face has wounds on it and Zane's arm laid nearby. _"If they are not...well, it will be on your head, not mine."_

* * *

Reality

"Finally, the world will be mine."

"Are you done talking?" Dragon asked. "Good..." He soon moved his arms, which moves the chain back before they completely snapped and drop to the ground. "Now that you have finished...I believe it's my turn."

"What? How did you-?"

"I tried to reason with you, but you didn't listen. I guess we'll have to do this 'old school,' as my Ninja might say. We will fight, and I will defeat you."

"You still seem to think you matter, Wu..." Heianmofa starts to fly out of the cave as Dragon chases after him. "You don't. Not anymore."

* * *

He flies up to a ship in the sky, glowing purple due to Dark Matter. It was Nadakhan's ship, the Misfortune's Keep. "It it is my world now...and you will have no place in it." He lands on the deck and turns to Dragon. "The Dark Island makes my magic even more powerful. Flying this old ship with a spell is nothing compared to what comes next." He soon mockingly waves at him. "Farewell, until we meet again."

Dragon sighs as he sees the ship fly away before he soon walked away himself and comes across the Cave of Nigebrodne. "I wonder what I'll find in here." He soon heads inside. "Probably what he told me, probably not."

* * *

Inside the cave, Dragon moves along before looking at himself. He was wearing the kimono from his youth, when he trained Morro and Tania, as well as when he participated in the First Serpentine War before looking at his reflection nearby. He sees his face was like his younger self and having blonde hair before noticing his straw hat in the reflected image was gone, but knows he is actually wearing it before he continued on. "Geoff was right. The Cave of Nigebrodne does have its own tricks." He soon looked ahead and continued down the path.

* * *

Several minutes later, Dragon emerges from the cave, disturbed, as the Ultra Stealth Raider Jet lands in front of him and Cole gets out. "Master, I've found you!" He said. "Everyone but Blake and Kai have been found and are safe. The others are following a band of pirates to the-"

"The Temple of Light, yes, I know." Dragon cuts him off. "Then they are headed into great danger. I must stay with Destiny's Bounty, for it holds the key to this war. I will sail to the Temple of Light. It is up to the rest of you to slow the pirates down and buy me time."

"What about Blake and Kai? No one knows where they are."

"Then that is your mission, Cole. We will need all the strength of our entire team. Now, go!" Cole gets back into the jet. "And, Cole." Cole turns back to him. "Don't tell Geoff or Gewuji about this upcoming situation."

"Why?"

"Just don't."

"Don't worry, I won't tell them, Master."

Cole soon gets back in the jet and flies off. "The end of everything is coming, and it is up to me to stop it." He looks at the Cave of Nigebrodne before turning back and prepares to walk back to the Bounty.

* * *

In the desert, Kai and Blake were slowly moving along. They were drenched in sweat as they had been walking for days. It was hot during the day and cold during the night. "Please let there be a palm tree to lie under." Blake said.

Kai soon collapsed onto his knees. "I don't care, I want to rest." He replied.

Blake groaned as he turned to Kai before seeing something up ahead. "Kai, do you see that?"

Kai turned and saw it as well. "Palm trees, lake. Finally, let's get going!" They soon start running over to it. But as they came over to it, the trees and lake started fading away.

"What?" Blake asked as they see it fading away. The trees and lake had completely faded away, revealing to be a mirage.

"It was a ****ing mirage!"

"Wait, what is that?" Blake asked as he came up to it. He walked up to a well and noticed the broken bricks around it. "Argh! It's the same damn well!"

"Don't tell me we've been going in circles! ****ING HELL!" He kicks a brick, knocking it into the well and no splashing is heard. "DAMMIT! DAMMIT ALL!" He soon lies down again, tired from walking, hunger and dehydration before closing his eyes as Blake soon knelt down and started to meditate.

"I remember what you told me, Master."


	9. Hood Ornaments

Several Weeks Earlier

Blake, in his Airjitzu gi, sits on the ground in the Sea of Sand as Dragon looked on. "One must remember that food and water doesn't matter in survival." He said as he moved around him. "Meditation helps in suppressing the hunger and thirst." He soon stopped behind Blake. "And here is something I want you to hear."

* * *

Vision

Blake opens his eyes and looks around before coming across a sleeping couple in bed. _"'I wander all night in my vision, Stepping with light feet, swiftly and noiselessly stepping and stopping, Bending with open eyes over the shut eyes of sleepers, Wandering and confused, lost to myself, ill-assorted, contradictory, Pausing, gazing, bending, and stopping."_ Dragon's voice was heard as Blake looked to see it was an older version of himself and Cirrus. His arm was wrapped around her in a protective way. _"How solemn they look there, stretch'd and still!"_ Blake soon came across a cradle with two identical girls in it. _"How quiet they breathe, the little children in their cradles! The wretched features of ennuyés, the white features of corpses, the livid faces of drunkards, the sick-gray faces of onanists, The gash'd bodies on battle-fields, the insane in their strong-door'd rooms, the sacred idiots, the new-born emerging from gates, and the dying emerging from gates, The night pervades them and infolds them. 10."_ He soon saw himself and Cirrus, looking at a newborn child. _"The married couple sleep calmly in their bed-he with his palm on the hip of the wife, and she with her palm on the hip of the husband, The sisters sleep lovingly side by side in their bed, The men sleep lovingly side by side in theirs, And the mother sleeps, with her little child carefully wrapt."_ He soon saw he was back in the previous room, but with the newborn in Cirrus' arms as they sleep. _"The blind sleep, and the deaf and dumb sleep, The prisoner sleeps well in the prison-the run-away son sleeps; The murderer that is to be hung next day-how does he sleep?"_ Blake soon sees a young man, sleeping peacefully in a cell with newspaper articles on the wall with articles about murder. _"And the murder'd person-how does he sleep?"_ He looked on to see the young man was himself.

* * *

Present, Reality

It was now nightfall as Kai was still sleeping and Blake was meditating. "The female that loves unrequited sleeps, And the male that loves unrequited sleeps, 20, The head of the money-maker that plotted all day sleeps, And the enraged and treacherous dispositions-all, all sleep.'" Blake said as he had his eyes closed. **(A/N: The quote is part of the poetry, The Sleepers by Walt Whitman)**

* * *

The following morning, Blake was carrying Kai on his back as he was slowly moving along. They were both completely covered in sand and sweat, not to mention still hungry and thristy. "Tired...thirsty...If we don't get help soon, we're not going to make it out of this place." Kai said as he sighed.

"We will get out of this, Kai. We have to save our friends..."

Kai soon saw something ahead in a cloud of sand. "Something's coming this way. Unless it's another mirage..."

It wasn't a mirage, but, it was Nadakhan's pirates. Aliil was at the wheel of a black rover as two more vehicles were behind it. One looked like a Raider bike and one looked like a quad bike. "Here we be, mateys!" A pirate said. "Sailing the sand like we sail the seas."

"Look sharp." Aliil replied. "Two Ninja, Portside!"

The pirates immediately drive up and around Kai and Blake, circling around them. "Get ready to reel them in, you swabs!"

"Hey, back off!" Kai yelled as he and Blake poise, but exhale a little due to being out of breath and dehydrated.

Aliil jumps off, pulls out a sword and prepares to strike Blake, but Kai manages to grab hold of his wrists and tried squeezing them, but Aliil kicks him down as the other two pirates charge at Blake. Blake punches one of them down. "This one's not as weak as he looks!"

Blake prepared to punch him as well, but the pirate moves out of the way before hitting him in the head with the handle, knocking him down. "Tie them up, boys, and let's teach them some manners." Aliil said as one of the pirates went back to the rover for some rope while Aliil looked at the two unconscious Ninja.

* * *

Several hours later, Blake was tied to the front of the bike while Kai was tied to the front of the rover, like hood ornaments as bugs were getting in their faces. "I should probably tell you guys, I failed 'Hood Ornament' in school." Kai said.

"So, did I." Blake said, sarcastically.

Aliil laughs. "In a little while, lads, it won't manner what you can do want you can't." He replied.

"I'm glad the guys aren't here to see me like this." Blake spat out some dead bugs. "It's gonna take me weeks to brush the bugs out of my teeth."

* * *

Later that night, Kai and Blake were tied up, back to back, as Aliil and pirates were around a campfire. "The Hyper Buggy's suspension is working like the charms in me teeth." One of the pirates said.

"When do I get a turn?" Aliil asked.

"Once we discuss what to do with them Ninja."

Close by, Blake moves his left leg near him and digs his hands inside his boot. "Tell me you got a knife." Kai whispered.

"Better." Blake replied, whispering, getting out a piece of brick. "Broken brick piece from the well. Thought it might come in handy." Blake starts filing at the ropes while Kai kept an eye on the pirates. "Come on, come on. Snap, snap, snap!" The ropes immediately snap and Kai and Blake move their hands forward.

But before they could get up, something emerges from the sand with two flasks. It was Cole. "Cole?!"

"Hey, guys." He whispered as he was halfway out of the sand and hands them the flasks. "It looked like you two needed a hand, even if it is a ghostly one."

Blake and Kai immediately started drinking. "So...thirsty."

"Make it a quick drink. We have places to be. But first we need some rides."

By the campfire, Aliil was poking at it to make it hotter. "What should we do with those ninja?" One of the pirates asked.

"Maybe put them in the mine with those fish catching swabs we nabbed from the sea?" Another pirate asked.

"Nah, no need." Aliil replied. "As sure as the moon draws the tide, the last convoy is carrying the final shipment across the desert now."

"In two shakes of a mermaid's tail, we'll have so much Dark Matter piled up around the Temple of Light that this whole world will be blacker than my heart!" Another pirate said.

Something slowly rises from the fire. "What in the deep, blue sea-?" The first pirate was cut off when Cole reveals himself.

"BOO!" He yelled.

They start crawling back. "Yah!" Aliil and one of the pirates yelled. "Ghost!"

"Call yourselves pirates?" Blake asked as they turn to see him and Kai come up to him. "Jumping back like schoolgirls."

"Don't tell me you rough, tough pirates are scared of ghosts..." Kai said. "...especially when you ought to be scared of us."

"Ninjago!" They both yelled, doing Spinjitzu and came at the pirates, knocking them down before one gets back up and held his sword out to Cole.

"A good cut of pirates steel will-" He stabs Cole, but due to him being a ghost, it just moves through him. "-go...right through you?!"

"Creepy, isn't it?" Cole asked, sarcastically. "You better drop that before you hurt somebody. Or do you want to see what will happen when I get a hold of you?" Cole grabs hold of the pirate, raises him high and throws him down, knocking him out.

A few minutes later, Kai and Blake tie up the pirates as Cole came up to Aliil. "Aaar, we'll never talk to that likes of you!" He yelled. You can tar and feather us, but we'll never-"

Cole soon held Aliil's own sword at him, scaring him. "Hi, I'm Cole. I'm a ghost, and I like to break things. I like it a lot."

"I'll tell you anything. Wh-what do you want to know?"

Several minutes later, Kai, Cole and Blake head over to the vehicles as Kai was feeling light headed. "I can't believe what Clouse is planning." Blake said. "We have to find the others and-"

Cole soon turned to see Kai's eyes are purple due to the Dark Matter. "Kai, are you okay?" He asked.

"I feel...weird...angry...hopeless..." He replied.

"Kai, listen to me. Dark Matter is a substance that can turn the purest of good into evil, you can't let it affect you. We need you...Nya needs you."

Kai's eyes soon return to normal. "Nya, right...gotta concentrate on my sister, my friends... Sorry about that. I'm better now."

"Good. We may not have much time."

"If you're feeling the effects of the Dark Matter, that means the convoy is getting close." Blake said as he got on the Hyper Buggy. "We have to stop it."

Kai got on the Raider bike and Cole got on the rover. Before long, they soon stop glowing purple. "Um, what just happened?" Kai asked.

"Oh, that." Cole replied. "Machines love me. Now, let's go catch some pirates!" They soon take off as Cole turned to Blake. "How come you weren't affected by the Dark Matter?"

"Meditation and a calm mind." Blake said.

"You're getting better. You're definitely meant to become a ninja."


	10. Sand Fight

As the vehicles move along the desert, Kai turned to Cole. "Hey, Cole, is it is me or does this place look really weird?" He asked.

"The Dark Matter must be effecting the land itself!" Cole replied. "That stuff is bad enough in the ground. Dig it out and start carrying it around, and it's nightmare time. And the pirates have a whole convoy of the stuff. Keep your eyes open for anything."

Up ahead, a lot of sand, in the shape of a fist, glowing purple due to Dark Matter, comes at them. "Like that?" Blake asked, pointing to it.

"Me and my big mouth."

"Relax." Kai said. "It's only sand. Just drive through it! I'll add a little heat to help."

Kai soon held his hand out, firing a burst of fire as Blake soon held his out. "With a little help of some wind." He replied, firing a gust of wind which spreads the fire, breaking through the fist of sand as they continue on.

"Teamwork rules." Cole said as the ground starts moving around a little.

"Things are getting worse. Look around, the entire landscape is shifting."

"We need to find the pirates and stop them fast."

"What we need is a good view of the area." Kai said as he soon placed his feet on the bike's seat. "Be right back. Time for me to Airjitzu!" Kai soon does Airjitzu as the bike moved along slowly and Kai looks on. "Uh oh. That doesn't look good. Like at all."

It turns to be a big convoy of pirates. "Is it a gull?" Clancee asked. "Is it a dodo?"

"Who cares what it is?" A pirate asked. "FIRE!"

They fire a shot at Kai, who moves out of the way of the shot. "Good thing I like dodgeball!" He said as he soon went down, landing on the bike.

"Look, ninja are heading our way." Clancee called out.

"We can't let anything slow us down." Flintlocke replied. "Fire!" They start firing again as Kai, Cole and Blake make their vehicles go faster, one almost hitting the Hyper Buggy.

"Yikes!" Blake yelled. "That was close!"

"My turn!" Cole yelled as he started firing at the convoy, causing most of the vehicles to break away to avoid the shots.

Kai soon does Airjitzu before coming up to a vehicle and grabs the pirate driving it. "You must be tired from all that driving." He said as he goes into the air while still gripping the pirate. "Take a rest." He soon threw him to the ground.

Blake forcefully stops his Hyper Buggy, sending him into the air, before he uses Airjitzu to come up to some of the vehicles. "Ever heard of air conditioning?" He sarcastically asked, crossing his arms downward. "Let me demonstrate!" He holds his hands out, bringing a big gust of wind at the vehicles, sending them flying and ending up in a pile as Blake lands on the Hyper Buggy, and does a 180 as Flintlocke got out, dazed.

"Did any landlubbers get the license plate of that there hurricane?" He asked before lying back while Blake passed by, laughing and giving off the V-sign.

"Shiver me timbers."

"We've got them on the ropes!" Cole said as he passed by Blake. "We might actually-"

A big shadow soon came over them. "Uh oh!" They soon stop their vehicles. "That big shadow's not good."

"Is it too much to hope that it belongs to a giant teddy bear?"

"Not even close!" Heianmofa's voice was heard as they look up to see the Misfortune's Keep as well as some more trucks carrying Dark Matter.

"Heianmofa Clouse?!" Blake asked. "But how?! You were banished to the Cursed Realm!"

"Ask Wu...if you see him again. My victory is certain, but you Ninja can be so irritatingly persistent. So before I take over the world, I will take the time to grind you beneath my heel."

"Sorry, Clouse, old buddy, can't let you do that." Ronin's voice was heard as Heianmofa turned to see Ronin's mech, the Ultra Stealth Raider bikes, rovers, Mega Carriage trikes and rickshaw coming up to them. "I doubt you washed your feet lately."

"Hey there, Cole." Jay called out. "Long time, no see."

"Reinforcements to the rescue!" The others call out.

"Shall we, Zane?" Jay asked, firing a bolt of lightning.

"We shall indeed." Zane replied, firing a flow of ice at the Misfortune's Keep, damaging one of the propellers.

"Three Ninja are an annoyance...five are an obstacle...but ten are an infestation!" Heianmofa yelled before looking down at the vehicles. "Miserable, seagoing fools! What are you waiting for? Aim low and fire!"

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Flintlocke yelled as they started firing at them.

"Always rains cannonballs when you want to have a picnic, ever notice that?" Ronin asked as they start moving in different directions while some got out of their vehicles either on foot or Airjitzu.

Swayed pulls out a pair of Glock 18s, mounted in CAA Tactical RONI-G2s with 33 round magazines and started firing at the Raider rover that Lloyd and Misako are in. "Listen up, Ninja!" Lloyd called out. "Blake, you stop Clouse. Everyone else, make sure to stop that convoy!" Swayed kept firing at them as Lloyd turned to Misako. "He's starting to burn my beehive! Take over, mom."

Misako takes hold of the controls as Lloyd opened the visor and jumps out, using Airjitzu. Lloyd was able to come up behind Swayed as he was about to turn to face him, but he strikes him, knocking him down. "You apple coloured bastard!" Brutob yelled as he grabbed hold of Lloyd, moved his back to a statue and started strangling him.

"Guys!" Lloyd called out.

Geoff takes Clancee down and looks on, but Clancee gets back up and pushes him down. "Lloyd!" Geoff yelled.

As Brutob kept strangling Lloyd, gunfire was heard as holes start appearing on Brutob's left arm, all the way up to his neck as he falls to the ground and Lloyd turned to see it was his mother, holding one of Swayed's guns as he laid nearby, hardly moving. "Come on!" Gewuji yelled, helping her boyfriend up as she quickly blocked Flintlocke's strike.

As Heianmofa watched from the deck of the Misfortune's Keep, Blake lands behind him, swinging Aliil's sword, which he took from him as he, Kai and Cole were tying him up. "Long time, Clouse." He said as Heianmofa turned to him. "I thought that Oni got rid of you in the Corridor of Elders."

"I am not so easily disposed of, samurai." Heianmofa replied as he uses his magic to conjure a sword.

"Wrong, I'm not a samurai anymore." He swings his sword before charging at Heianmofa, who quickly blocks it before charging at Blake with his sword, but Blake moves aside and tries to kick him, but it goes through Heianmofa.

"Did you forget that I am a ghost?" He goes to strike Blake again, but he quickly raised the sword to block it, but in the process, Heianmofa's conjured sword broke through the sword, breaking it in half before he holds out his hand and throws Blake off the Keep.

Zane sees Blake falling and flies up to him, using Airjitzu and grabs hold of him. "Might want to be careful of your actions." He said.

"Guess I still have much to learn." Blake replied as Zane fired a flow of ice at a pirate while Blake held his hands out, conjuring a gust of wind at Doubloon and Creak-Bot.

"You have rotten taste in friends, lady." Nya said to Dogshank as she poised.

"They're not my friends." Dogshank replied. "We just fight together."

"Then why not side with us and have some real friends? People who would accept you as you are?"

"Really?" Dogshank secretly pulls out a sword from behind her back. "You mean you Ninja would trust me? Then shake on it."

"I wish I could..." Dogshank soon showed her sword, but Nya kicks it out of her hand. "...but it's hard to be friends with someone who is hiding a sword behind their back." Gewuji and Maggie come up next to Nya and they all kick Dogshank, knocking her down.

"We've almost got them, Ninja." Lloyd said as he struck Clancee down, Geoff clashes with a pirate and Jay kicks another pirate down. "Press forward!"

"I am done wasting time." Heianmofa said as he held his hands out. "Time to finish these Ninja once and for all." The sand starts to move away as everyone sees a giant sandstorm rising over to them. "Hope you don't mind sand in your shoes...and everywhere else!"

"Uh oh!" Jay said. "That's not good."

"A giant sandstorm!" Cole yelled as they soon saw the pirates getting in their vehicles and drive through the storm. "We're losing the pirates."

"If we are not careful, we too will be lost." Zane replied as they started to run away from the sandstorm while the vehicles are caught in it.

Suddenly, Cole stops, turns and holds his hands out, conjuring earth at the sandstorm. "Cole?" Maggie asked.

"I am the Master of Earth...I can save us...I will do this!" He replied.

"Not without help from the Master of Sand!" Geoff said as he held his hands out and conjured sand at the sandstorm.

"You're both not alone." Jay replied as he held his hands out, conjuring lightning.

"We'll protect you from the storm until you guys take control." Maggie said as she held her hands out, conjuring magnetic waves as the other Ninja help out. After a few seconds, the storm soon engulfs everyone as it passes by.


	11. Two Islands Merge

The desert was quiet as wind was barely moving by before a hand reveals itself from the sand and something comes out of it, revealing to be Gewuji as she, Ronin, Kai, Jay, Zane and Geoff were coming out, covered in sand. "We survived." She said.

"Only barely." Ronin replied as he helped Lloyd out.

"I heard of playing in the sand, but this is ridiculous." Geoff said as he helped Maggie out.

"We weren't playing in the sand." Zane replied, not understanding the joke while helping Cole out.

"I was joking, Zane."

"At least we're safe." Kai said as he helped Misako and Blake out.

"For now." Jay replied as he dug some sand aside and sees Nya's hand. "But that sandstorm slowed us down, just as Clouse intended." He managed to get Nya's head dug up. "He and his pirates, and the Dark Matter, have gotten away."

"And if Clouse reaches the Temple of Light first, we can kiss the world goodbye." Nya said as her fiancé was helping her out of the sand.

"Is that what Dragon taught you?" Misako asked as she brushed the sand off her clothes.

"No!" Blake replied as he was doing the same as well as getting sand out of his ear. "Ninja never quit!"

"Blake's right." Cole said. "Master Wu said he had a plan, and he's never let us down before."

"Yeah." Geoff replied. "Let's dig up our vehicles and go back him up."

"Win or lose, we'll be there as a team. But for now, saving Ninjago is all up to Dragon..."

* * *

Several hours later, the Destiny's Bounty has made it to the mountain with the Temple of Light atop of it. "There it is." Dragon said, looking from the deck.

* * *

Further away, the Ninja in their recovered vehicles and Ronin, in his mech, see the temple from afar. "There it is." Geoff said.

Everyone soon sees the Misfortune's Keep coming over from the entrance. "We're too late!" They all said.

* * *

At the Temple of Light, the pirates, Creak-Bot and Swayed throw Dark Matter all over the exterior as the temple soon glowed purple as Heianmofa was between the antennas as they start emitting electricity around him. "Keideh, yorfo, ultra, airnas, stoyut!" He said, chanting a spell as dark figures start forming above the antennas before they land around him as the temple kept going dark.

* * *

Close by the temple, the Ninja, Misako and Ronin get out of their vehicles as shaking soon occurred. "What was that?" Ronin asked.

"The temple is already infected with Dark Matter." Geoff replied as they look to see Ninjago Island is almost in view. "The islands are gonna be like in the beginning of time. There's no time to waste." They start to move off to the temple.

* * *

In Ninjago City, by the docks, a tidal wave rises as people start running away. In the city, civilians are running away as earthquakes occur. "This is Gayle Gossip, reporting with breaking news!" Gayle said as she and her cameraman were among the civilians running along the street to find someplace to hide. "Earthquakes are occurring in the city, reports of a tidal wave by the docks and now, we have reports of hurricanes at the Endless Sea and tornadoes inland. Please evacuate to the nearest shelter!" At the ocean, hurricanes bring whirlpools in the ocean.

* * *

At Mega Monster Amusement Park, a tornado comes up to it as it immediately goes for the rollercoaster as the skies started to darken.

* * *

On the Dark Island, purple lightning was emitting in the sky as the Ninja, Misako and Ronin move along the mountain to the temple. "We have to hurry!" Zane yelled as they ran along.

"We're...we're too late!" Kai yelled.

"It can't end like this!" Geoff yelled.

"Cole, can't you stop the earthquakes?" Jay asked.

"I tried, but I can't!" Cole replied. "It's as if all of the elements have gone crazy!"

"I feel it too." Gewuji said.

"The world's in chaos." Lloyd replied.

"I can't see a thing!" Maggie said.

"Just try to hug the wall!" Blake replied as they did so.

"Where is Dragon?" Misako asked, looking down at the shore.

"Maybe we should all turn back." Ronin replied. "If the world's going to end, I'd rather be on a beach somewhere."

"I'd rather spend my last breath fighting evil!" Nya said before an earthquake occurs.

"Everyone, hold on!" Blake yelled as the ground starts to crumble and break.

"To what?!" Misako asked as she and Ronin fell, followed by the others.

"Everyone who can Airjitzu, grab someone who can't!" Lloyd yelled as he and the other Ninja immediately do Airjitzu before Lloyd grabs hold of his mother and Geoff grabs hold of Ronin before they land on the shore as the Destiny's Bounty showed up. "Dragon! I'm afraid you're too late. It's...over."

"There is always time for tea." Dragon replied.

"'Time for tea.'" Blake repeated silently. "The crate!" He immediately does Airjitzu, lands on the deck, and heads into the cargo hold.

"What for?" Kai asked. "So we can have a hot drink while we watch the world end?"

"Because, my Ninja, there is still hope." Dragon replied. "The war is over... not quite yet."

Blake soon came out, holding the crate in his hands. "And this, is our answer." Blake said as he opened the crate and held it out. Kai, Jay, Zane, Cole, Lloyd, Nya, Geoff and Misako were shocked at its contents.

"The Elemental Blades?" Cole asked.

"The temple has a secret." Blake uses his Wind power to throw Kai, Jay, Zane and Cole their Elemental Blades. "And these, are the keys."

Jay ignites his Elemental Blade and chuckles. "Oh, I really missed this baby." He said.

"We'll have to get through them to get inside." Dragon said.

Kai, Zane and Cole ignite their Elemental Blades as they all turn to see the pirates, Creak-Bot, Swayed and the shadow figures came at them. "You're outnumbered!" Swayed yelled as he aimed his only weapon left.

"Surrender and we'll make it quick!" Dogshank yelled, holding an anchor and chain.

"Repel the boarders, you swabs!" Flintlocke yelled. "Drive 'em to the sea!"

"Outnumbered, maybe, but never outfought." Nya replied as she blasted a burst of water at Aliil, knocking him down.

"Ninja never quit, got that?" Geoff asked as he clashed with Doubloon.

Lloyd fires balls of energy at the shadow figures, knocking them back. "Those shadows can't stand up to my power, but there's so many of them." Lloyd said.

"Can't you see you've already lost?" Swayed asked as he reloads his gun. "Why do you keep fighting?"

"If you don't know, you'll never understand." Nya replied before Gewuji throws a spear of glass at Swayed's leg as he was about to fire, making him go down before Creak-Bot quickly grabbed his gun and turned to Zane as he charged at him. Creak-Bot started firing as Zane swung his Elemental Blade, deflecting the shots before raising the weapon and strikes Creak-Bot's hand, severing it before spinning and strikes his neck, causing the head to come off and land on the ground before Creak-Bot collapsed as his exposed wires sparked.

"Keep still!" Dogshank yelled, swinging her anchor at Blake, who rolls over it and then to the side.

"You may be tough, but you wave that anchor slowly, bitch." He replied.

"How about this?!" Dogshank raises the anchor high as Blake soon waved a finger, causing her to lose her weapon as it levitates. "What?" She looked up to see her anchor in the air.

"Did you forget, I can control the wind?" Blake holds his hand out, sending the anchor down onto Dogshank's head, knocking her out before grabbing the anchor and chain. "Don't mind if I do."

"Excuse me, you have something on your chin." Cole said to Flintlocke from the side before punching him in the face. "My fist!"

"I better get paid for this shit!" Ronin said as he and Maggie were back to back as the shadows surround them. "In fact, there better be a big bonus in it later!"

"If we aren't dead, I'm killing you for thinking only about money, Ronin." Maggie replied.

"Come on, we're at the entrance!" Dragon yelled as the Ninja and Ronin quickly break through the crowd of pirates and head into the entrance.

"Stop them!" Heianmofa yelled. "Don't let them discover the secret!" The pirates and shadows run up to the entrance before it was soon closed shut.


	12. The Golden Mech

**(A/N: Yeah, this one is an early one, but I couldn't sleep because there is only 12 hours until those two new episodes of Ninjago air and we'll know why Zane became the Ice Emperor, and I will upload the very last chapter if I'm reasonable with the answer)**

* * *

Once they were inside the temple, Blake wraps Dogshank's anchor and chain around the door handles, and sighs. "That ought to hold them for a while." He said as he backed away from it.

"What's important that we came in here while it's still under the Dark Matter's control?" Cole asked.

"Take a look around." Dragon replied. They look to see the interior isn't glowing. "Clouse may have controlled the outside, but not the inside. Because of one thing protecting it."

"Of course!" Geoff said as he got out a scroll. "All this time, I was wondering what this one meant." He unrolls it, revealing the four Elemental Blades around a man in gold, meditating. "Guys, insert your blades into the pedestals with your symbols near them."

"Like this?" Jay asked, inserting his Elemental Blade into the pedestal with his symbol by it.

"Yeah." Kai, Zane and Cole insert their Elemental Blades into their pedestals and crumbling is heard.

"What is it?" Kai asked.

The centre with the dragon symbol opens up and a platform rises underneath it, revealing a very old golden mech. "Cool!" Jay said.

"It is the fighting suit the First Spinjitzu Master used when he battle the Overlord." Geoff said.

"You mean the First Spinjitzu Master once sat here?" Gewuji asked, climbing into it, but it doesn't start up. "How do you make this thing work?"

"I guess time has done her in." Ronin replied.

"She's only a relic now." Blake said.

"If it were still running, it'd be worth a fortune to the highest bidder."

"Wait, if it worked for the First Spinjitzu Master, perhaps it will work for the son of the First Spinjitzu Master." Maggie said as Gewuji got out and they turn to Dragon.

"It's worth a shot." Dragon replied as he climbed into it and tried it out. "Nothing. Worthless piece of crap." It suddenly glows as everyone is shocked as the doors started moving. "Whoa!" The mech soon looked like as if it wasn't very old and everyone is shocked.

"Wow!" Cole said.

Dragon looks at the mech's sword and smiles. "Looking good!" Kai said.

"Oh, killer!" Jay said.

"Amazing!" Zane said.

"Cool!" Geoff said.

"Awesome!" Gewuji and Blake said at the same time.

"Clouse had better watch out." Maggie said.

"There's something else in here." Dragon replied, pressing a button which opens the front of the mech, revealing hilts, similar to the Elemental Blades.

"Elemental Blades?" Geoff asked as he took one and it ignites, revealing a light brown blade. "Sand!"

Lloyd, Nya, Gewuji, Maggie and Blake each take an Elemental Blade and they all ignite in the colour of their Elemental Powers. "It is prophesied that all protecters of the son of the First Spinjitzu Master will be bestowed a weapon beyond their wild imagination." Misako said as she came up to Lloyd.

"Let's do this." Lloyd replied as Kai, Jay, Zane and Cole get their Elemental Blades out of the pedestals as the doors soon break open.

The pirates and shadows burst in to see the Ninja, armed with their Elemental Blades and the golden mech. "Uh oh." Doubloon said.

"'Uh oh', indeed." Ronin sarcastically replied.

"Ninjago!" They all yelled as they charge at the pirates.

* * *

Outside, the pirates are knocked out before getting back up as the Ninja split up and block or clash with the pirates as Ronin punches Aliil down before Dragon comes out in the mech and looks at Heianmofa. "You forgot to include a door in your wall, Clouse." He said as he had the mech jump in the air and fire a beam of light at Heianmofa, who moves out of the way.

"No!" He yelled, holding his hands out. "I will destroy you, Wu, in a hundred ways!"

The shadows starts to disintegrate as the Ninja look on to see the smoke coming over to Heianmofa. "Hey, the shadows are returning to Clouse!" Jay said as they look up to see a dark version of the golden mech.

"But first, I will show you once and for all that dark is stronger than light." The dark mech raises its sword as Heianmofa charged at Dragon's mech, who quickly uses his mech's own sword to block it before moving to the side and tried to strike, but Heianmofa blocks it. "You are tired and weak, old man, like the light you champion." Heianmofa moves his mech's sword up before moving it downward to strike, but Dragon moves his mech's arm to have the sword intercept it. "This is your final battle!"

Dragon places his mech's left foot in the air and strikes the dark mech back before charging to strike, but the dark mech immediately blocked the sword and they clash as Dragon moved closer to face Heianmofa. "I will fall in time, Clouse, as every warrior must." He said. "But it will not be at your hands." He soon forced the dark mech back.

Close by, Cole blocks Aliil's sword before kicking him back, and sees Dragon and Heianmofa in their mech battle. "We have to do something to help him." He said.

"No, Cole." Geoff replied as he clashed weapons with Flintlocke. "This is Dragon's fight."

"This is what he was speaking about on the boat, about facing his destiny, just like his father before him." Kai said as he immediately struck Clancee's sword, breaking it.

Heianmofa swings his mech's sword at Dragon's, but he blocks it before he tried again, but that was blocked too before he tried once more, but he blocks it and they clash their weapons. "Don't you understand?" Heianmofa asked. "This world is mine! It will be made in my image!"

"There is still time to stop this madness, Clouse." Dragon replied as he forced Heianmofa's dark mech back.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Heianmofa raises his mech's sword to strike, but Dragon has the mech's left hand to grab hold of the glowing blade.

"Then, I must show you the error of your ways... and of course, beat you in battle." He closes the mech's hand, causing the sword to break.

"NOOO!"

"Now take to the skies and watch..." Dragon forces the dark mech down and raises his mech's sword. "...as I remedy your mistakes. This has gone on too long. It is time to end it." The sword soon glows and a beam of light shoots up in the sky. The pirates and the Ninja look up to see a vortex emerging as Heianmofa quickly got out of his mech and held onto a rock as the darkness was sucked in and dispersed. "It is done. My destiny is fulfilled."

"It isn't over yet, Wu." Heianmofa picks up a sword and goes to strike at the mech, but an Elemental Blade strikes him, breaking the sword and knocking him back. Heianmofa looked up to see it was Gewuji, who held the Elemental Blade that stopped him. Heianmofa looked to see the pirates and Swayed and the Ninja looking at Gewuji as she held her Elemental Blade at his father's neck. "Too cowardly to take your father's life?"

"I'm not." Gewuji said as she deactivates her Elemental Blade and turns away. "Kryptarium Prison has all your answers." Gewuji starts to walk away as Heianmofa soon growled while getting up and his right fist glows purple.

"Gewuji, watch out!" Lloyd yelled as Gewuji turned to see her father about to kill her, but a blade soon came through his ghostly body. Heianmofa turned to see it was Maggie, holding the broken blade piece at his back.

"Deepstone." He whispered quietly before groaning as he fell to the side and faded away.

"May the Departed Realm forgive your wicked soul." Geoff said it as he looked at the spot his father's body landed right before he disappeared.

"We've lost, Aliil." Clancee said as he was helped up by him. "I think we had best be sailing."

An Elemental Blade was soon held at them and they look to see it was Blake. "How about a cruise to jail?" He asked as the others were holding their Elemental Blades at the other pirates.

"Drop your weapons." Gewuji said to Doubloon, who drops his sword and pistols.

"Don't even think about it." Nya said to Dogshank as she grabbed a rifle behind her back.

* * *

A few minutes later, the pirates were all tied up as the Ninja, Misako and Ronin came up to Dragon as he was getting out of the mech. "I don't understand." Misako said. "How did you know the Golden Mech would be in the Temple of Light?"

"I didn't." Dragon replied. "Just before Geoff left with you, he told me all about the scroll of the Golden Mech. 'If the weapons of the four protecters are together in the Temple of Light, the Golden Mech will reveal itself and can only be controlled by chosen ones, who are bestowed with the blood of the First Spinjitzu Master.' He said that if the balance were to be affected, we would see if what the scroll said was true. And it did."

"I found the scroll just 6 months before you guys first came here for the Fangblade." Geoff said, showing them the scroll. "All this time, I didn't know what it meant until I saw this." He points to the meditating figure. "The First Spinjitzu Master. And when I found it, it took me just a few months to find out that the writing on the side was actually reversed, so I had to read it to Dragon while staring at a mirror. The mech was our only hope."

"And Dragon was right." Misako replied. "Your meditations lead you to suspect the balance between light and dark was about to shift, didn't they?"

"Yes." Dragon said. "Suddenly, I knew what I had to do to save you...and the world. Now, we have much to do. We can salvage parts from Clouse's ship to make the Destiny's Bounty fly again, and-"

"No." Lloyd cuts him off.

"No? What do you mean?"

"I mean that we just saved my mom and the world. And we're going to take five minutes to celebrate it."

"Maybe even six!" Kai said.

"Let's get crazy." Cole replied. "Seven."

"I was not aware time limits were normally imposed on the expression of happy emotions." Zane said.

"Can we just go to jail, please?" Swayed asked. "This is making me sick."

"Well, you chose them, Dragon." Misako said.

"That I did, Misako, that I did..." Dragon replied, moving to look from the cliff as the others did so as well with Jay and Nya holding hands as well as Lloyd and Gewuji, and Geoff and Maggie. "And it was the best choice I ever made."


	13. Celebration and a Haunted Vision

**(A/N: So, he was manipulated. Seems reasonable to me. Anyway, here shows a small hint of a future story, seen in Dragon's vision in the cave of course. Hide it All is an original song, written by yours truly. Also, this seems like the first story where I didn't get a single review throughout the story uploading)**

* * *

In Ninjago City, civilians are crowding around a TV store as Lloyd, in his civilian clothing, passed by while smiling, as music was also heard on a nearby radio. "And with the missing fishermen safely recovered, we once again, thank our heroes, the Ninja, in the selfless deed to rescue them." Gayle said on the TV. "And now, let's take a look at the weather."

* * *

In the Domu Library, Kai, in his civilian clothing, listens to the radio while typing on a laptop. "#Hide it all, You want to hide it all, But, you know it just makes the situation worse#" Geoff sang on the radio. "#Hide it all, You just want to hide it all, And only tell those dear to your heart#"

"#It's something that you don't want to hear, Hatred for one's family member, Hatred for an old friend, Hatred for an enemy#" Cole sang on the radio.

* * *

At Borg Industries, Blake, in his suit, is next to Cyrus as they look at the Golden Mech as technicians were studying it. "#I just wanted you to say it to me, What is your most hidden problem?, And I can maybe help you out, baby#" Geoff and Cole sang on a nearby radio. "#But you just keep it to yourself, Act like you don't trust me, And just hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all#"

* * *

At a restaurant, Jay and Nya, in their civilian clothing, laugh as they look at a magazine about weddings. "#Hide it all, And feel regret later on, Knowing you kept a secret#" Cole sang on a nearby radio. "#Hide it all, Don't be afraid to tell it later, And get it off your chest#"

* * *

In the park, Zane, in his civilian clothing, looks at his statue, which was still covered in moss and guano as his falcon lands on his shoulder while a nearby radio was playing the song. "#It's something someone wants to hear, Deep feelings for a friend, Deep feelings for one's sister, Deep feelings for one's brother#" Geoff sang on the radio.

* * *

At a nearby store, Gewuji, in her civilian clothing, conjures some glass, which covers a big hole in a broken window with some men watching nearby as a nearby radio was playing the song. "#I just wanted you to say it to me, What is your hidden problem?, And I can maybe help you out#" Geoff and Cole sang on the radio. "#But you just keep it to yourself, Act like you don't trust me, And just hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all Hide it all, but tell someone you trust, And when the time is right, Tell everyone you know what you think, Let them state what you have said, And don't be afraid to hide it all#"

* * *

At a shopping mall, Maggie, in her civilian clothing, was doing some shopping as the song was heard through the speakers. "#Hide it all, You really shouldn't hide it all, Please tell someone the truth#" Geoff sang on the radio.

"#Hide it all, You have to trust someone And they'll help keep your secret#" Cole sang on the radio.

* * *

At a recording studio, Geoff and Cole, in their civilian clothing, were recording the song. "#I just wanted you to say it to me, What is your hidden problem?, And I can maybe help you out#" They sang. "#But you just keep it to yourself, Act like you don't trust me, And just hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all#" In a shop, Ronin sets up some stuff as he has a cigarette in his mouth. "#I just wanted you to say it to me, What is your hidden problem?, And I can maybe help you out. But you just keep it to yourself, Act like you don't trust me, And just hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all, Hide it all#"

* * *

At Steep Wisdom, Dragon and Misako were busy, cleaning up the place as the radio was playing the song. "#Hide it all, And feel regret later on#"

Dragon stopped as he heard the last lyric of the song and looked at the radio. "And that was The Deserters with 'Hide it All'." The radio presenter said. "Well, it's nice to hear from them, especially after several weeks since the fishermen went missing before they showed up, unharmed just yesterday. In other news, Kryptarium Prison has received new inmates today, presumed to be the crew of the Mis-" Dragon turns the radio off and heads outside.

* * *

Outside, Dragon sits down at the well and looks at his reflection in the water.

* * *

Several Days Earlier

Dragon, in his old kimono, walks along the Cave of Nigebrodne before coming to the end and looks around. The surroundings suddenly change to the exterior of the monastery, over 40 years ago. He soon sees his younger self, Oni and the Elemental Masters, except for Ray, Maya and Tania. They were all on the ground before Dragon turned to see a giant mech, which soon picks up his younger self and brings him up to where two men, who were inside the mech. "A futile effort." One of them said as Dragon tried to get free. The man appeared older than the other. "Here are the terms of surrender: Yield now, and we will destroy the Elemental Masters, but spare the citizens of Ninjago."

"But... But-" Dragon is then cut off.

"Refuse, and we still destroy you, but the citizens will not be spared." The young man said.

Dragon soon sighed. "Do you yield?" The old man asked.

Dragon soon spat at the old man's face. "Never." He said.

"Have it your way then." He then has the mech turn to a nearby village and it opens its mouth.

"Wait!" He exhales a bit. "I... I yield."

"No!" Dragon yelled as he tried to charge at the mech, only for it to fade away, along with the monastery and his old kimono. "I do not yield to you, Krux."

* * *

Present

Dragon soon looked down as he got out an old photo of the previous Elemental Masters after the first Serpentine War, including the two men, in time themed robes, although the old man appeared the same age as the other. He soon threw the photo into the well and walked back into the shop as the photo sank into the water.

The End...?


End file.
